MVA allies banter over seats share inMumbai, Vidarbha

The battle for Maharashtra assembly elections has commenced with ruling alliance Mahayuti, comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, aiming to retain the power, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress, eyeing to secure a majority and overthrowing the present government. On one hand, MVA has so far agreed on the distribution of 208 seats among its constituents. These allocations have been primarily based on factors such as existing legislators, the party’s strength in the constituency, and the perceived ability of the candidate to win. But the remaining 80 seats are all bones of contention. The primary flashpoints are in Mumbai and Vidarbha. The Congress is demanding 45 seats in Vidarbha, which the party sees as a vital battleground for securing power in the state. In Mumbai, Congress could fight around 14 seats.  While 2 seats could be given to the NCP (SP) and 1 seat to the Samajwadi party. The Sena (UBT) fighting around 19 seats out of the total 36 seats. On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray reiterated that he would support any chief ministerial face declared by his allies to save Maharashtra. Stating that MVA should declare its chief ministerial face much before the assembly polls in the state, he urged Congress and NCP(SP) to declare the CM face.