Pawar, Thackeray start initial talks for LS polls

Pawar is believed to have suggested 16 seats for each of the three parties - Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) - in the alliance. The discussion took place in a meeting at Pawar’s residence Silver Oak. Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and NCP state chief Jayant Patil too were also present for the meeting

Mumbai NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday started initial talks for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Both the leaders discussed the possible formula for seat sharing and other details that are likely to come up for discussion in the coordination committee meeting of the INDIA alliance scheduled on Wednesday.

Mumbai, India - August 30, 2023: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole at a press conference, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

Pawar is believed to have suggested 16 seats for each of the three parties - Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) - in the alliance. The discussion took place in a meeting at Pawar’s residence Silver Oak. Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and NCP state chief Jayant Patil too were also present for the meeting.

The coordination committee of the INDIA alliance is holding its first meeting at Pawar’s residence in New Delhi on Wednesday.

In the third conclave of the INDIA alliance held in Mumbai, it was decided to form a 14-member coordination committee. Both Pawar and Raut are members of the coordination committee along with KC Venugopal, MK Stalin, Hemant Soren, Abhishek Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, Lallan Singh, Javed Ali Khan, D Raja, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullalh and Raghav Chaddha.

Jayant Patil confirmed that the meeting took place in the backdrop of the coordination committee meeting. “Following the decision in the INDIA alliance meeting, all the parties are of the view that the seat sharing should be started at the earliest. The three MVA parties will soon form a coordination committee and start discussions,” he said.

The seat sharing will be held only for those seats that are not with any of the three parties. “If a party has a sitting MP from a seat then it will be contested by the same party. The discussion on sharing the rest of the seats will be held,” the state NCP chief informed.