Maharashtra Assembly polls: Rift in MVA over seat-sharing? Uddhav Thackeray to hold crucial meet amid deadlock

Amid ongoing seat-sharing deadlock between Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP-Sharad Pawar) allies, Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has called a meeting of party leadersat his Matoshree residence in Mumbai to discuss seat sharing for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, party leader Sanjay Raut said on Sunday.

The Rajya Sabha MP said “some decisions have to be taken and for that an urgent meeting of all leaders has been called.”

It is important to note that Maharashtra Congress leaders are expected to finalise candidates for the Assembly polls in the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in New Delhi today. The filing of nominations will begin on Sunday.

Congress Maharashtra unit in-charge Ramesh Chennithala said on Saturday that seat-sharing meetings for Assembly elections were being held between MVA constituents and an announcement is expected to be made soon.

"Seat-sharing meetings are continuously taking place...We will soon announce it," he told reporters.

Media Reports said some differences appeared to have earlier erupted in the seat-sharing talks between Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Saturday said that if Sanjay Raut was controlling Uddhav Thackeray, that is their issue.

"If Sanjay Raut is controlling Uddhav Thackeray, that is their issue. We have the responsibility of telling the reality of our leaders and we are doing that. We do not want to speak anything on what Sanjay Raut does,” ANI quoted Maharashtra Congress Chief as saying.

Meanwhile,Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Raut alleged that the BJP wastampering with voters' list in Maharashtra with the help of the Election Commission.

"The Election Commission comes under the Home Ministry. Amit Shah is the facilitator and Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule is also involved. This is a highly serious issue," Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP claimed.

" "They (BJP) are trying to mess up the voter list with the help of the Election Commission. The BJP is contesting nearly 150 assembly seats and they are finding those people who have voted for the Maha Vikas Aghadi and replacing their names with bogus voters," Raut alleged.

Earlier on Thursday, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said the opposition MVA arrived at a consensus on 200 Assembly seats for the polls, news agency PTI reported.

Maharashtra will go to the polls on November 20 and the result will be declared on November 23.