MVA should first focus on 25 of 48 Lok Sabha seats: Ajit Pawar on Maharasthra seat-sharing formula

Ajit Pawar. File Pic

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies should discuss on 25 of the state's 48 Lok Sabha seats since the the Shiv Sena (UBT) had bagged 18 seats in 2019 elections.

The MVA allies include the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Congress and the NCP.

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Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Ajit Pawar said, "First we must discuss on 25 empty seats out of 48 seats, later the rest 23 can be discussed," adding that the final decision on seat sharing will be made by senior leaders of Maha Vikas Agadi.

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"The final decision will be made by senior leaders of MVA, and MVA will remain intact, strong and united and this I can give in writing on stamp paper," Ajit Pawar said.

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Previously, speaking about the seat-sharing among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners for the next year's Lok Sabha elections which is yet to be finalised, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said that Shiv Sena leader (UBT faction) Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge and he himself will decide.

"There has been no discussion on seat sharing yet. A meeting was held at my residence where it was discussed that leaders from all three parties (of MVA) will decide on it. Uddhav Thackeray, Sonia Gandhi or Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and I will sit together to discuss it," he said.

In the 2019 Assembly Polls, the then Shiv Sena-led by Uddhav Thackeray and the BJP fought elections jointly. BJP had won 23 seats and the then Shiv Sena 18 seats while Congress got 4 seats.

The Shiv Sena had walked out of the NDA alliance to form a coalition government with the NCP in November 2019.

Meanwhile, responding to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning of the NCP chief Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar today said that investigation agencies have the right to investigate and he has not made any statement against anyone.

NCP chief Patil was on Monday questioned by ED in connection with the alleged IL&FS (Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited) scam.

Ajit Pawar said, "Investigating agencies have the right to investigate and I have not made any statements against anyone."

Hitting out at the Central government on the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 rupee notes from circulation, Ajit Pawar said that the middle class don't have much of Rs 2,000 note so if they wanted to act on black money, then there was no need to give so much time to submit the currency in the bank.

"Middle class don't have much of Rs 2,000 notes, so if you wanted to stop the circulation of Rs 2,000 notes then there was no need to give so much time to submit the currency in the bank," he said. "If they wanted to act on black money as they said during demonetisation then just like you did demonetisation you could have done it now," he added.

The RBI on Friday decided to withdraw the Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation adding that it will continue to remain as legal tender.

It has advised banks to stop issuing Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes with immediate effect.

(With inputs from ANI)