Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat met with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree on Saturday to resolve ongoing seat-sharing issues within the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance ahead of the crucial Assembly elections scheduled for November 20.
The meeting followed reports of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s dissatisfaction over delays in finalising seat allocations, which reportedly resulted in Congress securing fewer seats than expected.
After the meeting, Thorat stated to the media, “I have discussed matters with Uddhav Thackeray. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Ramesh Chennithala entrusted me with the responsibility of coordinating with Uddhav and Pawar Saheb to address the seat-sharing challenges. We explored the possibility of adjusting a few seats.” Thorat confirmed that he would brief Kharge and Chennithala on the outcomes of the meeting.
#WATCH | Mumbai | Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat says, “The party has given me the responsibility to discuss certain issues with Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar… I will meet Pawar Saheb (Sharad Pawar) today, regarding this (seats to be given to Samajwadi Party)…” pic.twitter.com/AlZN1QNI97
— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2024
Thorat also discussed plans for upcoming campaign events, noting that talks were underway to have Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, and Sharad Pawar hold joint programs to strengthen the alliance’s election drive. “We want to organize events with Rahul, Uddhav, and Sharad Pawar together. There was a discussion regarding these joint efforts,” he added. With only two days left to file nominations, Thorat acknowledged the urgency but assured that last-minute adjustments are common, stating the MVA’s goal of winning over 180 seats to form the state government.
When questioned about recent disparaging statements concerning his family, Thorat condemned the decline in political discourse, stating, “In politics, and in democracy, everyone has the right to speak. Unfortunately, the standards have dropped significantly over the last five years, which is evident in recent statements.” Addressing remarks made by Sujay Vikhe Patil about Jayshree Thorat, he reaffirmed his commitment to Maharashtra and expressed confidence in Jayshree’s resilience, adding, “Jayshree Thorat is more than capable of handling the situation in Sangamner.”
On Friday, during a Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, Gandhi expressed displeasure with the state Congress leadership’s handling of seat-sharing talks, particularly due to what he saw as avoidable losses of winnable seats. Reports indicate that Gandhi asserted that Congress should be allotted more seats, given its strong performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where it won 13 of the 17 seats it contested.
In response, Thorat has been tasked with revisiting the seat-sharing agreements, which have led to significant contention, especially in regions like Vidarbha and Mumbai.
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Meanwhile, discussions with MVA partners are expected to resume today, with specific attention to the five seats being demanded by the Samajwadi Party.
This latest effort to secure an agreement among Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP is crucial, as MVA partners previously announced plans to contest 85 seats each, leaving 33 seats undecided.