Maharashtra Elections 2024: Congress finalises 96 candidates, to resume talks with allies today

Amidst a stalemate over seat-sharing, the Congress said on Monday that it had decided its 96 Assembly seats, but unlike other parties, it did not release the list of candidates, adding that it would discuss sharing with Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT) again on Tuesday.

The interlude didn't go without turns and twists as a section of media reported on Monday that Sena (UBT) was on its way out from MVA, and its leader Sanjay Raut had met the Union Minister Amit Shah to discuss this. Unidentified Congress leaders were credited for sharing the information with the media persons.

Both Raut and Congress state president Nana Patole, the negotiators who have been at the centre stage for their angry exchanges over disagreement, dismissed the information as rumour.

Patole, who along with other senior state leaders had gone to New Delhi to convince the high command about not conceding more seats in the party's stronghold Vidarbha to the Thackeray Sena, hoped that the three parties would finish talks soon.

The Congress high command had sent Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala to meet Thackeray after the talks had taken a dramatic turn and were stalled over a disagreement. NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar is also learnt to have intervened to ease tension between the Congress and Sena.

The Congress has asked senior leader Balasaheb Thorat to meet Thackeray and Pawar. The decision was taken after Thackeray's party had objected to Patole's aggressive demeanour in the talks held so far.

According to information, the Congress may concede about 3-4 of 12 disputed seats in Vidarbha to the Sena (UBT). Congress leaders from Vidarbha also reached Delhi on Monday to defy the Sena's demand. They are very confident that the party would outscore the BJP in the region having 62 seats, and pave the way for the party to achieve a goal of becoming the single largest party in the pre-poll alliance. BJP has been leading in Vidarbha, but it has reduced its strength there not only in Assembly in (2019) but also in Lok Sabha (2024). Sena and Congress are also stuck over Mumbai's Byculla and Versova.

Sena (UBT) to stay

"There is no dispute in Maha Vikas Aghadi. As of now, the discussion for the Congress's 96 seats is over. We will talk to Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. We will try to release the names after tomorrow's talks," Patole said from Delhi.

Patole said the talks of the Sena (UBT) leaving the MVA over seat-sharing had no base. "The Congress has not made any statement about the Sena's exit (and Raut's meeting with Shah). The BJP is spreading misunderstanding about the Opposition because it fears a crushing defeat in the ensuing elections. We, in MVA, are united in our efforts to seize power in Maharashtra," he added.

‘All false claims'

Earlier in the day, Raut said the talks of him meeting Shah were rubbish. "It is a matter of joke if Congress leaders have said that I have met Shah. I know who has fed this information to the media persons. We will never compromise on the pride of Maharashtra. We will never join hands with the forces that have destroyed Maharashtra's pride," he said, hoping that the talks would end soon, and candidates declared. According to him, the MVA had finished sharing 210 of 288 seats.

Raj names candidates

Even as rumour mills said that Raj Thackeray, CM Eknath Shinde and DyCM Devendra Fadnavis had reached an agreement over certain seats, the MNS chief announced his candidates for Thane (Avinash Jadhav) and Kalyan Rural (party's only sitting MLA, Raju Patil).

Earlier during his state tour. Raj had announced Shivadi (Bala Nandgaonkar). Pandharpur (Dilip Dhotre), Latur-Rural (Santosh Nagargoje), Hingoli (Bandu Kute), Chandrapur-SC (Mandeep Rode), Rajura (Sachin Bhoyar) and Yavatmal (Raju Umbarkar).

On Sunday, the BJP named 99 candidates, repeating most of its sitting MLAs. It is still in talks with allies to decide on more seats.