Speculation looms over the official seat-sharing arrangement within the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as reports suggest that the alliance comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is yet to make an official announcement. While the constituent parties have commenced revealing their preferred candidates for select constituencies across the state, the definitive distribution of seats remains undisclosed. Notably, while both the Congress and the NCP (SP) have publicly declared six candidates each, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has taken the lead, with its party chief Uddhav Thackeray unveiling candidates for as many as 12 Lok Sabha seats in recent pronouncements.
Unnamed sources familiar with the matter reveal that although the seat-sharing formula between MVA partners hasn't been officially confirmed, there's an understanding among the parties. According to these sources, the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) have tentatively agreed to contest 20, 18, and 10 seats, respectively. However, the possibility of minor adjustments during last-minute negotiations hasn't been ruled out.
In recent developments, the Congress officially announced its first list of seven candidates on Thursday, followed by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar unveiling the names of six candidates on Friday. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) has refrained from officially declaring any candidates. Nevertheless, reports suggest that Uddhav Thackeray, who has extensively toured Lok Sabha constituencies his party intends to contest over the past two months, has revealed the names of candidates for over a dozen constituencies during his rallies. Notably, during a rally in Miraj, Sangli district, Thackeray purportedly announced Chandrahar Patil as the candidate for Lok Sabha from that constituency.
Several other candidates have been reportedly declared unofficially by the Shiv Sena (UBT), including prominent figures like MP Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South and Amol Kirtikar from Mumbai North West. Additionally, a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader mentioned that Thackeray has shortlisted candidates for constituencies such as Kalyan, Buldhana, Nashik, and Hingoli, with formal announcements expected at a later date. With the electoral landscape in Maharashtra gradually taking shape, all eyes remain on the forthcoming official seat-sharing agreement among the MVA coalition members.
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