Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) tussle on Sangli LS seat continues; local MLA says will boycott Uddhav rally

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Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, tension prevailed on Thursday between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress over Sangli Lok Sabha seat with the local MLA Vikramsinh Sawant announcing a boycott of the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit's rally, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, Uddhav Thackeray is scheduled to address a rally in Sangli during the day and has invited his Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners, including Congress, to participate.

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While the Shiv Sena (UBT) has hinted that wrestler Chandrahar Patil will be its candidate from Sangli, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole earlier this week said his party will field Vishal Patil.

"Sangli seat has always been with the Congress. We are of the opinion that Congress should get this seat and we have conveyed it to our seniors. Since the Shiv Sena (UBT) has unilaterally declared its candidate, we will not attend this rally." said Vikramsinh Sawant, MLA from Jat constituency, as per the PTI.

Speaking on the issue, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said it had ceded Kolhapur seat to the Congress with much pain, the news agency reported on Thursday.

"Since we (the MVA parties) are together, we will contest Sangli. I have spoken to Sharad Pawar. We are not asking seats in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand. A regional party will seek seats in its own state," Sanjay Raut added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole announced on Thursday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will shortly release its seat-sharing formula and candidate list for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024.

The MVA opposition alliance, which includes the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, the Congress, and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar, intends to fight the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, reported PTI.

According to the report, speaking to the media following a meeting of MVA leaders at Sharad Pawar's home, Patole revealed that the Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC) in Delhi has already chosen 12 candidates for the elections.

"We are discussing with our allies and will announce the list in a day or two," he said.

Nana Patole and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat, who had attended their party's CEC conference in Delhi, returned to Mumbai for the MVA meeting, the PTI report added.

Jayant Patil, state president of the NCP (SP), and party leader Jitendra Awhad attended the meeting at Sharad Pawar's residence.

(with PTI inputs)