Seat-sharing deadlock: Maharashtra Congress leaders meet Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai

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Senior Congress leaders led by Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala Saturday met with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray amid a stalemate in seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Maharashtra State Congress head Nana Patole and Mumbai unit president Varsha Gaikwad accompanied Chennithala to Thackeray's residence, Matoshree, in suburban Bandra.

The meeting also saw the presence of Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut. Both parties, part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), have encountered challenges as they assert their claims over specific constituencies, particularly in Mumbai.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) had previously stated its intention to contest no fewer than 23 out of Maharashtra's 48 LS seats.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday exchanged barbs over each other's mental condition against the backdrop of the February 8 firing incident in suburban Dahisar in Mumbai.

Responding to the killing of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar during a Facebook Live session by social activist Mauris Noronho, who also ended his life, Fadnavis had on Friday brushed aside demands for his resignation.

"This (Ghosalkar's killing) is a serious incident, but even if a dog were to come under a vehicle, they (opposition) will seek the home minister's resignation," Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio in the Eknath Shinde government, had said.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, Thackeray slammed the remarks and wondered if the state had a "mentally ill" home minister.

"I had earlier called him (Fadnavis) a blot, useless. But, now I don't have words. Cruel. I feel he should be checked mentally. His comment (on the killing of Ghosalkar) sounded like our state has got a mentally-ill home minister," Thackeray said.

Hitting back, Fadnavis said, "Uddhav Thackeray has lost his mind. I can only say get well soon."

The deputy CM was speaking to reporters in Nashik.

Once known to share warm relations, ties between Thackeray and Fadnavis turned acrimonious after the (undivided) Shiv Sena broke its longtime alliance with the BJP post the 2019 Assembly polls over sharing the chief minister's post. (With inputs from PTI)