Tension in MVA? Uddhav's Sena blames Congress for delay in seat-sharing talks for Maharashtra

The ruling Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are gearing up for another round of showdown in Maharashtra. Both sides have started talks on seat-sharing with their alliance partners. While the MVA was the early mover in that direction, the talks have stuck somewhere. On Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut blamed Congress leaders in Maharashtra for the delay in seat-sharing talks for the assembly elections. 

Raut said the opposition alliance comprising Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, Congress, and NCP (SP), along with some regional players, will sit together in Mumbai on Wednesday to iron out issues related to seat-sharing. "The Congress is very busy these days, but still we have called them to put an end to it (talks). We have invited Congress leaders. They are so busy that everyday there is 'tarikh pe tarikh' (date after date). So we decided that we will sit together for the next three days," Raut said. 

On Tuesday, the Sena MP said the leaders from all three parties will hold seat-sharing talks from Wednesday to Friday. He said the talks on Mumbai have more or less been finalised but there was a need to hold region-wise discussion as Maharashtra is a vast state. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is reportedly eying 20-22 of 36 seats in Mumbai. 

India Today last month reported that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is aiming to contest around 115 to 125 of 288 Assembly constituencies in Maharashtra. In the 2019 assembly polls, undivided Shiv Sena had contested 124 seats in NDA, leaving 163 seats for BJP and other allies.

The Maharashtra assembly polls are likely to be held in October-November.