Maharashtra Assembly polls: MVA seat-sharing talks have started, CM to be declared after results, says Congress

AICC General Secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala with Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole during party workers meeting, in Mumbai, on Friday. Pic/PTI

The Congress on Saturday stated that the chief minister (CM) of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance will be declared after the Maharashtra Assembly election results are declared, although the allies have already started holding discussions over seat-sharing, PTI reported.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders claimed earlier this week that Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray visited Delhi and met top Congress leaders only to ensure that he would be the chief ministerial candidate of MVA.

The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) are the chief constituents of the opposition alliance, pitted against the ruling 'Mahayuti' coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP.

Congress in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala said MVA will contest the coming state elections "unitedly".

"Preliminary seat-sharing talks have started and we will contest the elections unitedly," he told reporters after a meeting of party office-bearers from Latur, Beed and Dharashiv districts in central Maharashtra in Latur on Saturday.

Asked about who would be the chief ministerial candidate, state Congress president Nana Patole said "saving Maharashtra's self-respect" was their priority. "The chief minister will be declared after the results, after consulting the [new] MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly)," he said.

The Eknath Shinde-led government announced the 'Laadki Bahin' scheme, wherein women are paid Rs 1500 per month, with an eye on the elections, Patole said.

"(Deputy chief minister) Ajit Pawar says people should vote for the Mahayuti because MVA will scrap the scheme. This shows that the scheme is meant for votes. The government speaks of 'Ladki Bahin (favourite sister)' but provides no facilities to the women who have arrived in Mumbai from different parts of the state for police recruitment. They are sleeping on railway platforms and at bus stops during rainy season," he said.

(With PTI inputs)