Maharashtra Assembly Elections: 216 Seats Discussed; Remaining Seats to be Finalized Today

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, announced on Thursday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition has discussed 216 seats in preparation for the upcoming assembly elections. The remaining 66 seats are expected to be addressed in a meeting scheduled for today at Sofitel Hotel BKC in Mumbai. Wadettiwar indicated that the MVA plans to hold a press conference to announce the seat-sharing agreement by this evening or tomorrow.

No Doors Closed for Samajwadi Party

Addressing concerns raised by Samajwadi Party Maharashtra President Abu Azmi regarding seat-sharing disputes, Wadettiwar reassured that the MVA remains open to collaboration with the Samajwadi Party. “No door of the Maha Vikas Aghadi is closed for the Samajwadi Party. Our first discussion has taken place. We will have seat sharing today, and we will resolve any issues within two days,” he stated.

Concerns from Samajwadi Party Leadership

On Wednesday, Azmi expressed dissent through a post on X, emphasizing that the MVA should not release its candidate list without consulting the Samajwadi Party. He warned that any unilateral announcements would suggest the party is not considered a part of the MVA coalition. Azmi also sought permission from National President Akhilesh Yadav to allow the Samajwadi Party to contest as many seats as possible in constituencies where it is strong.

The Maharashtra assembly elections are set for November 20, as announced by the Election Commission of India. This election cycle marks a significant shift in alliances, with the Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar’s NCP, and Congress uniting to challenge the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. In the previous 2019 elections, the MVA coalition secured 154 out of 288 seats. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the MVA won 30 of the 48 available seats, while the ruling alliance secured 17. One seat went to an independent candidate.