MVA Seat-Sharing Discussion In Final Rounds, Announcement Likely In 10 Days: Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar said that the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) are in the final round of discussion over the seat-sharing formula in the state.

In the run up to the assembly elections in Maharashtra, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that the opposition alliance in the state is deliberating upon the seat sharing in the state. 

Speaking on the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, Pawar said that the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) are in the final round of discussion over the seat-sharing formula in the state. 

The NCP (SP) chief said that "an agreement on seat sharing will be reached in the next 10 days."

"After that, all the parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi will finalize their candidates. Once the seat-sharing and candidate selection processes are complete, they will go among the people and present their case," Pawar said.

Pawar exuded confidence of the alliance's victory in the upcoming assembly polls and said, "In 2019, when the Lok Sabha elections were held, Congress won one seat and NCP won four seats in Maharashtra. But this time, the Maha Vikas Aghadi has secured victory in 30 seats in the Lok Sabha elections."

"The election results indicate that people are eager for change. They want to sideline the BJP and its allied parties," he added. 

The NCP (SP) leader also said that the leaders of the INDIA bloc will hold a meeting to discuss 'One Nation One Election' in the next 8 to 10 days. 

“There are two different opinions over this issue (within the alliance partners) but the alliance leaders will discuss this in the meeting and a collective stand will be taken,” Pawar added.

Give New Poll Symbol To Ajit Pawar-led NCP: Supriya Sule

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule said they the party has requested the Supreme Court to treat the two NCP factions equally and Ajit Pawar's faction should be given a new poll symbol. 

The NCP (SP) has sought natural justice from the Supreme Court, Sule said on Saturday. The move comes ahead of the state assembly elections, likely to be held in November.

The NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar, had 'clock' as its election symbol before the party split. In February this year, the Election Commission allotted the NCP name and the 'clock' symbol to the Ajit Pawar-led group.

In March this year, the SC allowed the Sharad Pawar faction to use 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as its name along with the symbol of ‘man blowing turha' (a traditional trumpet) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.