MUMBAI: After the MVA seat-sharing deal, many Congress leaders in Maharashtra are sore over the state leadership for conceding three Lok Sabha seats to allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).
In the deal, Shiv Sena (UBT) got 21 seats, Congress 17 and NCP (SP) 10. Maharashtra Congress had staked claim over Sangli, Bhiwandi and Mumbai South Central seats, but alliance partners did not budge from their stand. Mumbai Congress president and MLA Varsha Gaikwad was keen to contest from Mumbai South Central.
This was also represented by her late father Eknath Gaikwad who had defeated Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi in 2009. However, Uddhav Thackeray did not relent and fielded party’s Rajya Sabha member Anil Desai from the seat.
Former Maharashtra Congress president Vasant Dada Patil’s grandson Vishal Patil was keen to contest from Sangli, but Shiv Sena (UBT) refused to concede and fielded Chandrahar Patil from there. Bhiwandi is another disputed seat that Congress surrendered to its ally Sharad Pawar-led NCP. Many local Congress leaders have threatened to resign from party posts.
Congress with 17 seats
Uddhav’s has 21 seats, Congress 17 and NCP (SP) 10. State Congress had staked claim South Central seats, but alliance did not budge.