29 December,2023 06:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Milind Deora/ X
After Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut suggested there would be no compromise in seat-sharing talks, Congress leader Milind Deora responded to him by emphasising the importance of consulting with Maharashtra's local leadership before making any partnership arrangements.
In response to Raut's remark, Deora emphasised that no alliance can be formed without first contacting the state's local leadership, underlining Congress's significant role as the state's major opposition.
Deora, in a social media post, wrote, "According to Sanjay Raut ji, despite the loss of its 40 MLAs Shiv Sena (UBT) remains the largest party in MVA. He suggests that Congress should begin negotiations starting with zero seats. He is talking about the party which is the largest opposition party in the Maharashtra Assembly and is leading the opposition. I want to tell Mr Sanjay Raut that no alliance can proceed without consultation with the local leadership of Maharashtra. This idea is also supported and supported by AICC."
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Raut said that Sena (UBT) is the biggest party in Maharashtra and asserted that they will contest from 23 Lok Sabha seats as the party has historically done.
Raut told ANI, "This is Maharashtra and Shiv Sena is the biggest party here. Congress is a national party. Uddhav Thackeray is having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal. We have always said that Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 Lok Sabha seats in the General Assembly elections including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and that will be firm."
"During our (INDIA alliance) meeting, we decided that discussions will be done later on the Lok Sabha seats that we have won. Congress did not win a seat in Maharashtra so they have to start from zero (seats) but Congress is an important ally for us in MVA. We will work together," he told ANI about the grand old party.
Rift in the INDIA alliance?
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's intent to independently contest in Bengal while affirming the INDIA alliance's presence across the nation and Raut's statements have indicated a widening gap between INDIA alliance parties over seat-sharing, stated a report in ANI.
According to the report, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party emphasised the Samajwadi Party's strategy to defeat the NDA in the forthcoming general elections by mobilising a coalition of "Pichde (backward classes), Dalit, and Alpasankhyak (minorities)" in Uttar Pradesh.
While Congress seeks open-minded seat-sharing agreements, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh acknowledged the differing problems in different states, seeking full consideration in meetings with all coalition partners, the report added
The INDIA alliance's squabbles, particularly over seat-sharing in Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bengal, reflect the complications brought about by regional parties making arrangements with the Congress.
