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  • MVA allies concur on 85 Assembly seats each

    MVA allies concur on 85 Assembly seats each

    Besides the seats for the three main allies, the MVA shall also allocate seats to other allies like the Samajwadi Party, the Peasants & Workers Party, the CPI, the CPI-M, and other smaller parties…reports Asian Lite News

    Maharashtra’s opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress-Shiv Sena-UBT-Nationalist Congress Party-SP on Wednesday finalised their respective candidates for 85 seats each — totalling 255 out of the total 288 — after hectic deliberations.

    Simultaneously, the Shiv Sena-UBT released its first list of 65 nominees for the November 20 Assembly elections as it welcomed leaders from different parties to its fold during the day.

    Speaking to media persons, state Congress President Nana Patole, state NCP-SP President Jayant R. Patil and Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut said that they have finalised 85 seats each and candidates.

    They said that agreement has been reached on 270 of the total 288 Assembly seats and the remaining 18 shall be finalised in a day or so — belying earlier rumours floating in political circles.

    Besides the seats for the three main allies, the MVA shall also allocate seats to other allies like the Samajwadi Party, the Peasants & Workers Party, the CPI, the CPI-M, and other smaller parties.

    “Everything is proceeding smoothly… There is no credence to the speculation that ‘this will happen or that will not happen’. All the MVA allies are going to contest the elections together,” declared Raut, as Patole and Patil nodded their consent.

    Nevertheless, the allies, particularly Congress and Shiv Sena-UBT are likely to push hard to increase their share by almost three figures which could cause heart-burns among the smaller partners, and the final seat-share figures are likely to be announced on Thursday, in time for the last date for filing nominations (October 29).

    Taking the lead, Shiv Sena-UBT announced its first list of 65 candidates comprising a mix of party loyalists, a few sitting MLAs, many new faces, youth and women, and several newcomers from other parties.

    In Thane’s Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency, it has fielded Kedar Dighe who will lock horns with ruling Shiv Sena’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, which would be one of the top key contests in the state.

    Other important candidates are former Minister Aditya Thackeray (Worli), Mahesh Sawant (Mahim) who will be pitted against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s Youth President Amit (Raj) Thackeray, and Varun Sardesai (Bandra East).

    Some more prominent nominees are Sanjay Kadam (Dapoli), Bhaskar Jadhav (Guhagar), Rajan Salvi (Rajapur), Vaibhav Naik (Kudal), Rajan Teli (Sawantwadi), Snehal Jagtap (Mahad), Rajan Vichare (Thane), Satyajeet A. Patil and (Shahuwadi).

    In Mumbai, the nominees are Rutuja Latke (Andheri East), Sanjay Potnis (Kalina), Sunil Prabhu (Dindoshi) and Sameer Desai (Goregaon), as per a party statement.

    Meanwhile, Shiv Sena-UBT President Uddhav Thackeray was on his feet all day tying the ‘Shiv Bandhan’ to welcoming new entrants from different parties to his party fold ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

    They included Congress Buldhana Secretary Advocate Jaishree Shelke, ruling ally Nationalist Congress Party’s Vice-President Apoorva Hire, Anuradha Nagwade, and Rajendra Nagwade, Ratnagiri Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bal Yashwant Mane, and noted leader from Kolhapur K. P. Patil.

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  • Winnability key factor for seat-sharing in MVA, says Congress

    Winnability key factor for seat-sharing in MVA, says Congress

    The MVA constituents have declared to contest the Maharashtra assembly polls together….reports Asian Lite News

    A Congress leader on Sunday said winnability would be the main criteria for seat-sharing among the MVA constituents for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls and it will be worked out amicably at the earliest.

    The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), is already in the poll and campaign mode, having held a joint meeting of their office-bearers on August 16, state Congress working president Naseem Khan said.

    “Winnability would the basis for seat-sharing among the allies and it will be worked out amicably at the earliest,” he said.

    “The Lok Sabha poll results will surely be replicated in the assembly elections,” Khan said, expressing confidence of the MVA’s victory.

    He claimed that false promises and fake narrative of the ruling ‘Mahayuti’ (comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP) have been exposed.

    “Development has reduced and corruption has increased during their tenure. The state government has worked to weaken Mumbai and Maharashtra, farmers suicides have gone up,” he charges.

    The MVA constituents have declared to contest the Maharashtra assembly polls together.

    A meeting of the MVA allies was held on August 16 in which Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray demanded the alliance declare its chief ministerial face in advance without waiting for the scorecard of each constituent in the assembly elections, due in October-November.

    The MVA trounced the Mahayuti alliance in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year by bagging 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, with the BJP losing 14 constituencies of the 23 it won in 2019.

    On August 20, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray will participate in a programme to be organised in Mumbai by the state Congress to mark the birth anniversary of former prime minister late Rajiv Gandhi.

    Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will also attend the programme, to be held at the Shanmukhananda Hall here.

    Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who was invited for the event, will not be able to attend it due to prior engagements, Khan said.

    Mumbai is the birthplace of Rajiv Gandhi. He ushered in the IT and telecom revolution and lowered the voting age to 18 years, said Khan, who was recently nominated to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) as a special invitee.

    Solapur, Jul 17 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde addresses a gathering during the Ajanvriksha Jalarpan and release of the Information Leaflet, at Pandharpur, in Solapur on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

    Shinde opens up on split with Uddhav

    Calling his decision to part ways with Uddhav Thackeray in 2022 as the right move, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Sunday that if he had stayed with him, then the party would have broken and even the symbol ‘Dhanushbaan’ would be destroyed.

    Shinde said that it is the party head’s job to stand behind his workers as they are the one who strengthens the party.

    On being asked whether he ever felt accused of his step, Shinde said, “Because the situation was created like that. If we had stayed there with them, then the party would have broken, the party would have ended. And even the symbol of Dhanushbaan would have destroyed. Because if the workers of the party are not there, then how will the party survive? If the head of the party has the responsibility to unite all of us, to advance our party, our policies should be such that people should benefit from the party.”

    “The party workers strengthen the party. So when a worker is in trouble, then to stand behind him is the job of the party leader. So we saw that someone else was running the party and someone else was leading. And the incidents that I told you about, they were trying to finish us. If we had remained like this, what would we have done?” Shinde added.

    The Maharashtra CM also mentioned that If the united Shiv Sena at that time had an alliance with the BJP, then their ideology would have been fine and they all would have been united.

    Further, on being asked why he went to Guwahati after parting ways with Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde said that it was his strategy.

    “That was our strategy. I went there openly. I didn’t hide. I went there while talking to them. I got Uddhavji’s call. I went there while talking to him. He challenged me a lot. He said, come and show me. You have to go from Worli to Mumbai. They will do this, lakhs of people will come, they will block the roads, bloodshed will happen, MLA people will not be allowed to go to Vidhan Bhawan. I said, look, I am also a worker of Balasaheb Thackeray. I have been a hard worker since my childhood. I have dedicated my life to party, party, party. So I don’t want all this,” he said.

    Speaking on allying with Ajit Pawar-led NCP, Eknath Shinde said that after seeing the work of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ajit Pawar decided to join the Mahayuti Alliance.

    “When I saw the work of PM Modi, the way PM Modi is moving the country forward, doing development, he is moving the developed India forward. So all this development, and seeing the development of the country, and the work of our government, today Ajit Pawar has come with us. Now he is working with us. What do people want? People want fast decisions. So we are the people who make fast decisions,” he said. (ANI)

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  • MVA seat-sharing talks underway, Congress eyes maximum seats

    MVA seat-sharing talks underway, Congress eyes maximum seats

    The Maharashtra Congress Unit is set to hold a two-day meeting to discuss seat-sharing, starting today…reports Asian Lite News

    As the Maharashtra assembly elections are slated to be held later this year, discussions on seat-sharing in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance consisting of the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-SP, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) among others are underway.

    The Maharashtra assembly polls are scheduled later this year to elect 288 members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the top leaders of the three major allies — Congress, NCP-SP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) — held a meeting and deliberated on the seat-sharing formula.

    According to the sources from the Congress, the party is likely to contest 120-130 assembly seats; the Shiv Sena (UBT) 90-100 seats while the NCP-SP is likely to contest 75-80 seats in the coming elections.

    The Maharashtra Congress Unit is set to hold a two-day meeting to discuss seat-sharing, starting today.

    Earlier, after the conclusion of the Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party core committee on June 29, party state president Ashish Shelar said that the BJP will contest the assembly polls with its Mahayuti ally partners, and a road map for the same was decided in the meeting.

    Shelar said that a proposal was passed appreciating the budget of Maharashtra, which covers the welfare of all segments of society, including farmers, youth, women, etc.

    “BJP will contest assembly polls with its Mahayuti ally partners and a road map for the same was decided in the meeting. No organisational changes are to be made in the state unit of the BJP. Also, a proposal was passed appreciating yesterday’s budget of Maharashtra, which covers the welfare of all segments of society, including farmers, youth, women, etc. A clear road map for contesting and winning Assembly polls was discussed and finalised,” the BJP leader said.

    The Lok Sabha polls 2024 have given a boost to the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) winning seven seats, the Congress 13, and the NCP-SP one, taking the total tally of the alliance 17.

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dipped to nine seats in Maharashtra against 23 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The vote share stood at 26.18 per cent.

    In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena had contested in an alliance. The BJP won 105 seats while the Sena won 56 seats.

    The undivided NCP had won 44 seats while the Congress had won 44 seats. (ANI)

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  • MahaYuti, MVA in Neck-and-Neck Fight in Maharashtra

    MahaYuti, MVA in Neck-and-Neck Fight in Maharashtra

    The main parties in the fray are Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party and Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP), and as the counting progressed the leads/trends kept changing drastically…reports Asian Lite News

    The ruling MahaYuti alliance and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi bloc were engaged in a neck and neck fight as vote counting was underway for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state, here on Tuesday.

    Indicating surprises may be in store as per the early counting trends, the MahaYuti was leading in 20 seats while the MVA was dominating in 27 seats, and one independent was trudging ahead in Sangli.

    The main parties in the fray are Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party and Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP), and as the counting progressed the leads/trends kept changing drastically.

    Some of the candidates who built up comfortable starting leads included: Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Raval, Narayan Rane, Raksha Khadse (all BJP), Dr. Shrikant Shinde (Shiv Sena), Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj, Prof. Varsha Gaikwad, Suresh Wankhade (Congress), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), Arvind Sawant, Amar Kale (SS-UBT), besides some other candidates.

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  • MVA May Seal Seat-Sharing Deal Today; Suspense Continues on VBA

    MVA May Seal Seat-Sharing Deal Today; Suspense Continues on VBA

    Suspense continues on the role of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) headed by Prakash Ambedkar, and the number of seats it may be offered to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls…reports Asian Lite News

    The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is likely to finalise its seat-sharing pact for the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, at the last round of talks scheduled for March 6, official sources said here on Tuesday.

    However, suspense continues on the role of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) headed by Prakash Ambedkar, and the number of seats it may be offered to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, besides satisfying the demands of other smaller allies.

    The VBA stumped the Opposition bloc last week by seeking at least 27 parliamentary seats, plus a unilateral choice of its candidates in certain constituencies, which was reportedly ‘unacceptable’ to several MVA constituents.

    Claiming that the VBA is fully geared up for parliamentary polls Ambedkar has threatened several times that he is prepared to go solo in all 48 constituencies if the MVA alliance fails to consider his demands.

    On Monday, NCP-SP National General Secretary, Dr. Jitendra Awhad, publicly appealed to Ambedkar to join the seat-sharing efforts and help safeguard democracy and the Indian Constitution in the interest of future generations.

    As per current indicators, the MVA may allot the VBA around 10 per cent (four or five) of the Lok Sabha seats, plus three or four seats are likely to go to other smaller allies.

    The remaining 40 constituencies shall be divided among the major MVA allies, i.e. Congress-NCP-SP-Shiv Sena-UBT as per their formula, plus they would also accommodate their own allies, if needed, said a NCP-SP leader.

    At Wednesday’s meeting, the top leaders slated to seal the deal — barring any last-minute glitches — include Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole, NCP-SP President Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena-UBT President Uddhav Thackeray, VBA President Ambedkar, and the representatives of the six other smaller parties.

    Meanwhile, perturbed by the dilly-dallying stance of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar on the seat-sharing alliance, a senior Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader on Monday reached out to him, appealing to “convey a different to the masses”.

    NCP (SP) National General Secretary Jitendra Awhad has penned a note to Prakash Ambedkar, saying that the next generation will not forgive them if the Constitution is tampered with, given the “current scenario”.

    Awhad pointed out how he always propagated the progressive ideas and ideology of great icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Jyotirao Phule, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, among the people of Maharashtra.

    “We also have the legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. With full respect to that legacy, I would like to say that your goal and our aims are the same — that is, to save the Constitution and Democracy. We have to ensure that this priceless gift from Dr. Ambedkar is safe, and we are ready to pay the price for it,” said Awhad.

    He cautioned that if the Constitution is tampered with and Democracy endangered, then the future generation will “never forgive us”, and urged Prakash Ambedkar to help convey a different message to the masses — though the VBA has not reacted so far.

    “Let’s have a meeting of all like-minded parties in the state on priority,” said Awhad, in view of the confusion prevailing over the VBA’s status in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

    MVA leaders pointed out that in the past few days, the changing stance, unilateral statements, demands and claims on seats or candidates, have led to doubts and uncertainties among the Congress-NCP (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT) and other allies as they struggle to cobble an amicable seat-sharing arrangement.

    Athawale Seeks One Seat in UP

    Republican Party of India (A) president and Union social justice minister Ramdas Athawale has said that his party has sought one Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh from the BJP.

    He said that his party will work to make the BJP and its allies win all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

    Bengaluru: Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment of India, Athawale Ramdas Bandu addresses a press conference in Bengaluru ,Saturday, Feb 17, 2024.(IANS)

    Athawale said once the RPI was strong in UP, but subsequently the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) got strengthened and his party weakened. But now the Mayawati-led BSP was not strong anymore, he added.

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function on Monday evening, Athawale said the INDIA bloc partners — SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi — will fail in the state as they had earlier.

    He said Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav do not respect the Constitution while Prime Minister Narendra Modi bows to it and he has even named the new Parliament building ‘Samvidhaan Sadan’.

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  • ‘MVA Allies Reach Consensus on 39 Maha LS Seats’

    ‘MVA Allies Reach Consensus on 39 Maha LS Seats’

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar made these remarks in Kolhapur following a meeting with Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a member of the erstwhile royal family…reports Asian Lite News

    NCP founder Sharad Pawar stated on Tuesday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) members have reached an agreement on 39 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

    Further discussions will be held for the remaining five to six constituencies. Maharashtra sends a total of 48 members to the Lok Sabha.

    Pawar made these remarks to reporters in Kolhapur following a meeting with Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a member of the erstwhile royal family.

    Pawar virtually proposed Shahu Maharaj as the MVA nominee for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

    When asked about seat-sharing discussions among Opposition parties, Pawar mentioned the consensus on 39 seats, with discussions ongoing for the rest. He also noted that he hadn’t discussed Shahu Maharaj’s candidature with other allies like Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress yet.

    Pawar expressed his support for Shahu Maharaj’s candidacy, highlighting his long-standing social work aligned with the values of past social reformers.

    Despite Shahu Maharaj’s usual avoidance of political events, Pawar noted his active participation in social initiatives. In the 2019 general elections, BJP and Shiv Sena (then undivided) jointly won 41 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, while the NCP and Congress together secured only 5 seats.

    However, the political landscape has evolved since then, with vertical splits in Shiv Sena and NCP, while BJP continues to consolidate its position by welcoming leaders from rival parties.

    ‘NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar’ name

    The Supreme Court on Monday held that the Election Commission’s order dated February 7 granting the name ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ to the faction led by Sharad Pawar will remain valid until further order.

    A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K.V. Viswanathan directed the Ajit Pawar-led faction to respond to Sharad Pawar’s plea challenging the Election Commission’s February 7 order, which recognised the group led by Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister as the official Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

    The bench granted Sharad Pawar the liberty to approach the Election Commission for allocation of the party symbol and directed the poll panel to allocate it within one week of receiving the application.

    Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sharad Pawar, said that the Election Commission’s February 7 order was an interim arrangement made for the Rajya Sabha elections until February 27, leaving their group without a name or symbol ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly session scheduled to start from February 26.

    The plea arraying Ajit Pawar as respondent was filed by Sharad Pawar on February 12 through advocate Abhishek Jebaraj.

    The Ajit Pawar side has already filed a caveat last week, saying that it should be heard before the top court proceeds to pass any order.

    A caveat serves as a notice submitted to an appellate court by a litigant who wishes to be heard in case any orders are issued regarding an opponent’s appeal that challenges the decision made by the lower judicial or quasi-judicial body.

    Delivering the verdict on the disqualification petitions filed by both rival NCP factions after the party split in June 2023, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar ruled last Thursday that the faction led by Ajit Pawar is the ‘real’ NCP.

    The NCP split in July last year, with a faction led by Ajit Pawar rebelling against his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar to join the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra. After that, both sides laid claim to the party name and symbol.

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