Lok Sabha elections 2024: MVA leaders meet at Sharad Pawar's home; likely to finalise seat-sharing deal

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Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, a meeting of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders got underway at the residence of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Thursday and the allies are likely to finalise their seat-sharing deal for the general elections, reported news agency PTI.

According to PTI, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat, who were in Delhi for the party's Central Election Committee meeting, returned to Mumbai for the meeting.

The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest in the country after 80 in Uttar Pradesh.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday expressed displeasure with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) for their "unequal attitude" towards his party, and offered support to the Congress on seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

The VBA's proposal to the Congress is not only a "goodwill" gesture, but also an "extension of a friendly hand" for a possible alliance for the future, he said.

Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, had earlier announced his candidature for the Lok Sabha from Akola seat as a VBA nominee.

The VBA has been eyeing to join hands with the three MVA allies for the Lok Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, after the Congress' Central Election Committee met on Wednesday to finalise candidates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Maharashtra unit party President Nana Patole said that candidates have been finalised for 12 seats.

Nana Patole, on Wednesday, said, "We have discussed at least 18-19 seats of Maharashtra, we have finalized at least 12 seats and tomorrow morning we have a meeting with Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. Final discussions will be held and all seats will be announced by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow...," reported ANI.

On the announcement of the Maharashtra candidates list for Lok Sabha elections, party leader Ramesh Chennithala said, "We are going to announce some seats and later we will announce other seats also. Maha Vikas Aghadi is intact and we are all going together...," reported ANI.

Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)