The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra has reportedly finalized a seat-sharing agreement for the state's 48 Lok Sabha seats. According to reports, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) will contest 20 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress will compete for 18. The Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will nominate candidates for the remaining 10 seats. A formal announcement of the agreement is likely soon.
Image Source: The Hindu
Significance of the Development
This seat-sharing pact holds significant importance as it provides a substantial boost to the opposition bloc, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), especially with the general election looming in the near future. The alliance, spearheaded by the Congress, has recently made progress by finalizing agreements that were previously stalled in more than five states. This development aligns with INDIA's objective of challenging the Bhartiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Lok Sabha polls.
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Allocation to Regional Parties and Independents
Regional entities such as the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBT) are anticipated to secure two seats from the Sena's allocation, while Raju Shetty, an independent candidate, is expected to receive one seat from Pawar's quota. In Mumbai, the Thackeray-led party is set to contest four out of six Lok Sabha seats, with a likelihood of one seat, possibly the Mumbai North East constituency, going to the VBA.
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AAP-Congress Alliance Across Delhi and Four States
Preceding the Maharashtra agreement, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had formalized a seat-sharing pact for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls across Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Goa. In Delhi, AAP will vie for four out of seven Lok Sabha seats, leaving three for the Congress. In Gujarat, the Congress will field candidates in 24 out of 26 Lok Sabha constituencies, while AAP will contest two seats in Bharuch and Bhavnagar.
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Concerns in West Bengal for the INDIA Coalition
In Uttar Pradesh, the state with the second-largest number of Lok Sabha seats after Maharashtra, the Congress is slated to contest 17 out of 80 seats, with the remaining 63 allocated to the Samajwadi Party (SP) and other allies within the INDIA coalition. However, a deal between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, a pivotal regional player, is yet to be finalized.
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2019 Maharashtra Seat Distribution
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP, then in alliance with the unified Shiv Sena, contested 25 out of Maharashtra's 48 Lok Sabha seats, emerging victorious in 23. The Shiv Sena secured victory in 18 out of the 23 contested seats. Additionally, the undivided NCP clinched four seats, while the Congress and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) each secured one seat. An independent candidate also emerged victorious in one constituency.
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