Seat-sharing for Maharashtra assembly elections to be finalised by October 22 evening: Congress' Vijay Wadettiwar

Vijay Wadettiwar. File Pic

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar on Monday said that the final decision on all 288 seats for Maha Vikas Aghadi for the Maharashtra assembly elections will be made by tomorrow (October 22) evening, reported news agency ANI.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, "By tomorrow evening, we will finalise the 17 seats. There are issues on 6-7 seats in Vidarbha and that too will be resolved. We are going to contest as Aghadi...Since there are 3 parties sharing 288 seats, it took a little time...The final decision on all 288 seats for Maha Vikas Aghadi will be made by tomorrow evening," reported ANI.

Earlier today, Congress election in-charge for Maharashtra assembly elections, Ramesh Chennithala refuted all reports of difference among the INDIA alliance partners in Maharashtra and said that there are no differences in the Maha Vikas Aghadi and they are united.

"There are no differences (in Maha Vikas Aghadi). We are united. Talks are going on regarding seats, it will be resolved soon. We have a CEC meeting today," Chennithala said, reported ANI.

Earlier, UBT Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the objective of the alliance was to remove the corrupt government in Maharashtra.

"This is not about sacrifice, this is about national interest and Maharashtra's interest...We had indeed shown big-heartedness (during seat sharing for Lok Sabha elections) because we had to defeat enemies of the Constitution. Today, we have to remove from power, a corrupt Government in Maharashtra," he said, reported ANI.

On October 20, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday released its first list of 99 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly elections.

Maharashtra has 288 Assembly seats, and the BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

As election day nears, both the Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations, including seat-sharing discussions.

Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20, with the results to be declared on November 23. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena secured 63, and Congress won 42 seats.

(With inputs from ANI)