Maharashtra assembly elections are approaching, and political parties are making vigorous preparations. As parties announce their candidate lists, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi expresses frustration over seat divisions in Maharashtra.
The Congress Central Election Committee convened at the party headquarters in Delhi on Friday to discuss the elections. Sources reveal that Rahul Gandhi left the meeting prematurely, upset that the MVA had allocated Congress-held seats to its ally, Shiv Sena (UBT).
During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi questioned the decisions made by Maharashtra Congress leaders and voiced his discontent with Shiv Sena (UBT) for taking Congress strongholds and reserved seats in regions like Vidarbha and Mumbai. He also objected to the candidates’ names proposed by the screening committee, citing perceived bias among state leaders.
Rahul stated that Maharashtra Congress leaders failed to balance their roles during the seat-sharing discussions, leading to his dissatisfaction and subsequent departure from the meeting. The party’s senior leader, Balasaheb Thorat, negotiates with MVA allies Sharad Pawar’s NCP and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena over the Bidar and Mumbai seats.
With less than a month remaining before the elections, tensions persist over seat distribution within the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Earlier, Congress, Uddhav Sena, and Sharad Pawar announced plans to contest 288 assembly seats, with an agreement to share 85 seats each. However, reports indicate that consensus on the remaining 33 seats remains elusive among the three MVA parties.