Maharashtra: MVA seat-sharing only after Rahul Gandhi’s Shivaji Park rally

Rahul Gandhi at the ‘Adivasi Nyay Sammelan’ held during his rally in Nandurbar. Pic/PTI

With all the bickering over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections, the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) distribution formula will be known only after March 17 - the day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's public rally is scheduled to be held at Shivaji Park.

The Congress has invited its MVA partners to make the rally a show of united strength at the iconic venue where the party leader's Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra will come to an end. It seemed that the Congress did not want anything related to seat-sharing to mar the big event, though an MVA constituent, the Shiv Sena, has upset the alliance's bonhomie by announcing its candidates for a couple of seats that interest the century-old party as well.

It is said that the Congress wants many of the seats that the united Sena has held since 2019. Negotiations held so far have come to nought. Further rounds of talks can be held only when the Congress leaders find time to spare from their yatra schedule. Gandhi's rally will mark a kick-start to the united Opposition's poll campaign. The state and Mumbai Congress leaders have promised a record attendance at the venue.

When asked about the delay, Congress general secretary in charge of Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala, told the media persons in Nandurbar on Tuesday that the talks are still in progress between the parties, and the seat-sharing formula will be declared after March 17. In Mumbai the same day, MVA representatives came together to announce their support for Gandhi. They said top leadership, rank and file, will be present at Shivaji Park where Rahul's family elders had addressed Mumbaikars in the past. The yatra will travel to Mumbai via Nashik, Bhiwandi and Thane.

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Rahul promises caste census, economic survey in Nandurbar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said his party's government would carry out a caste census and an economic and financial survey, and also strengthen the Forest Rights Act that was 'weakened' under the BJP regime. Speaking in tribal-dominated Nandurbar district as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Maharashtra from Gujarat in its last leg, he said tribals make up eight per cent of India's population, and the Congress would ensure that they get a proportionate stake in development.

His party's government will include villages with more than 50 per cent tribal population in the "sixth schedule" (of the Constitution) so that local-level decisions cannot be implemented without tribals' consent, he said, addressing a gathering. "Once we come to power, the Congress will carry out a caste census and an economic and financial survey across the country. It will be a revolutionary step...we will have the exact data of each caste and its representation in the population," Gandhi said. The Congress leader also promised to introduce a legislation to provide guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm and forest produce.

Nandurbar's significance
Nandurbar - a Lok Sabha seat reserved for scheduled tribes - has been a favourite with the Gandhi family because the party remained here for a record number of LS terms. The party's leaders the late Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and former party president Sonia Gandhi had begun the election campaign from here. Sonia had debuted in national politics here and later launched the Aadhar initiative here when Manmohan Singh was the PM. The Congress had not lost in Nandurbar since the 1967 general election. But the party lost the seat for the first time in 2014 and repeated the loss in 2019 as well. The party expects Rahul Gandhi's yatra to impress the voters to come back to the Congress' kitty.