MVA Leaders Meet At Sharad Pawar's Home; Likely To Finalise Seat-Sharing Deal

A meeting of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders got underway at the residence of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar here on Thursday and the allies are likely to finalise their seat-sharing deal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat, who were in Delhi for the party's Central Election Committee meeting, returned to Mumbai for the meeting.

The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest in the country after 80 in Uttar Pradesh.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday expressed displeasure with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) for their "unequal attitude" towards his party, and offered support to the Congress on seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

The VBA's proposal to the Congress is not only a "goodwill" gesture, but also an "extension of a friendly hand" for a possible alliance for the future, he said. Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, had earlier announced his candidature for the Lok Sabha from Akola seat as a VBA nominee.

The VBA has been eyeing to join hands with the three MVA allies for the Lok Sabha polls. Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4.