The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Sharad Pawar, the founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has announced that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance has reached a consensus on contesting 39 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Pawar revealed this information to reporters in Kolhapur after his meeting with Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a member of the erstwhile royal family. He also virtually proposed Shahu Maharaj’s candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the MVA nominee.
Addressing the status of seat-sharing among the Opposition parties, Pawar mentioned that while there is an agreement on 39 seats, discussions are still ongoing for the remaining five to six constituencies. He indicated that he had not yet discussed Shahu Maharaj’s potential candidacy with other allies, including the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Congress. Pawar expressed his support for Shahu Maharaj’s candidacy, citing his long-term involvement in social work and his alignment with the values of social reformers like late Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and B.R. Ambedkar.
Shahu Maharaj, known for his distance from political events, has been an active participant in social events and programs, according to Pawar. The political scenario in Maharashtra has seen significant changes since the 2019 general elections, marked by splits within the Shiv Sena and NCP, while the BJP has been reinforcing its base by welcoming leaders from rival parties. In the 2019 elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena (then united) had collectively won 41 out of the 48 seats they contested jointly in Maharashtra, with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress winning only five seats. The MVA’s recent consensus on seat-sharing is a strategic move in the evolving political landscape of Maharashtra.
