- The Opposition's alliance has finalised seat-sharing for 15 of 17 Maharashtra Council seats, said sources
- Congress to contest seven seats mainly in Vidarbha, western and north Maharashtra regions
- Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena was allocated five seats
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), has largely finalised its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, with consensus reached on 15 out of the total 17 seats. The Congress is expected to get the lion's share of seats, followed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. The two allies, however, are adamant on the Nashik and Nanded, with both claiming robust organisational presence in the constituencies.
According to sources, the seat-sharing arrangement was carefully worked out to avoid friction among allies while balancing each party's regional strength and political influence.
Congress Gets Highest Share
Under the current formula, Congress has emerged as the biggest stakeholder within the alliance, securing seven seats. Most of these constituencies are located in Vidarbha, western Maharashtra and north Maharashtra regions, where the party is believed to have a relatively stronger organisational base.
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The seats likely to be contested by the Congress include Chandrapur, Yavatmal, Bhandara, Amravati, Solapur, Dharashiv and Ahilyanagar.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal has appointed senior party leaders as constituency-wise observers for the upcoming polls, signalling that the party has begun preparations at the ground level.
Uddhav Thackeray-Led Sena Gets Five Seats
The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction led by Uddhav Thackeray has reportedly secured five seats in the proposed arrangement. The party has focused largely on retaining influence in Marathwada and the Konkan belt.
The seats likely to go to Sena (UBT) include Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Hingoli, Parbhani, Jalgaon and Raigad.
Sharad Pawar-Led NCP Gets Three Seats
The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) is expected to contest from Pune, Thane and the Satara-Sangli constituency.
While Thane has traditionally been considered a Shiv Sena stronghold, changing political equations within the state are believed to have influenced the allocation discussions.
Nashik, Nanded Continue To Remain Contentious
Despite broad agreement on most seats, the Nashik and Nanded constituencies continue to remain sticking points within the alliance.
The sources said both Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have staked a claim to the Nashik seat, citing their respective organisational presence in the region. Similarly, while Nanded has historically been seen as a Congress bastion, evolving political calculations have prompted claims from alliance partners as well.
Senior leaders from the three parties are expected to hold further meetings over the next few days to resolve the issue.
Leaders within the alliance have maintained that defeating the ruling Mahayuti remains the primary objective and that avoiding friendly contests is crucial ahead of the elections.
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Mahayuti Likely Formula
The sources also indicated that the ruling Mahayuti alliance has nearly worked out its own seat-sharing arrangement.
According to the sources, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP is likely to contest from Raigad and Pune, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena may get Nashik, Yavatmal, Parbhani and Thane.
The BJP is expected to contest the remaining seats.
Political observers are also closely watching the possibility of a rebellion within the ruling alliance, particularly in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik, where dissatisfied alliance leaders could potentially explore alternative political strategies with the support of independents.
