Congress leaders in Maharashtra are brainstorming with the Delhi high command on how to deal with anti-incumbency and anti-party activities against MLAs. In terms of anti-incumbency, it had an impact on 12 seats, 7 of which were significantly affected. Shiv Sena, UBT and NCPSP are demanding some of these seats. Discussions are possible about some seat swaps amid rising anti-incumbency sentiment among MPs.
Some MPs have been accused of cross-voting during two legislative elections. One is in 2022 and the other is in 2024. Senior Congress leader Chandrakant Handore lost in 2022 due to cross-poll. Handol is in contact with senior congressional leaders to ensure that those who cross-voted will not get their votes this time. According to Congress leaders, seven MLAs have been identified for cross-voting. Among them, Zeeshan Siddiqui, Jitesh Antapurkar and Hiraman Khoskar have quit the party. Four MLAs remain in the party.
Cross-voter identified: Chavan
It remains to be seen whether Congress will issue tickets to cross-voting MLAs. A video of senior Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, in which he is seen addressing booth workers, has gone viral. In his letter, he said those who cross-voted have been identified and told they will not receive votes this time. Meanwhile, Maha Vikas Aghadi has yet to reach consensus on seat allocation for the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, UBT and Congress are firm on certain seats. Despite a marathon 10-hour meeting at the Trident Hotel, no solution could be found. The deadlock has intensified to the extent that Thackeray leaders, instead of talking to Congress leaders in Maharashtra, are directly in touch with the Delhi high command. At the center of the dispute is the allocation of key seats in Vidarbha, Mumbai and Nashik districts. For instance, the Thackeray Group highlighted the candidature of Sudhakar Badgujar from the Nashik West seat. Congress, however, was determined to field a candidate.
Uddhav faction clashes with Congress over MVA seat allocation issue
During the late night meeting at Trident Hotel on October 19, the situation worsened when Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut walked out of the meeting as Congress leader Nana Patole insisted on Nashik West seat. This episode shows the increasing fighting within Maha Vikas Aghadi. Similarly, the Thackeray faction occupied 12 seats in Vidarbha, including major constituencies of Amauli, Chimul and Ramtek. Currently these 12 seats in Vidarbha are occupied by either the BJP or independents.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction argued that since these seats do not currently belong to any MVA party, their claim is justified. However, Congress is not yet ready to provide many of these seats. Apart from Vidarbha and Nashik West, other contested seats include South Nagpur, where Congress candidate Girish Pandav is contesting. But the Thackeray faction also expressed interest in the seat. In Yavatmal, the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s National Congress Party are both vying for seats, complicating negotiations. Likewise, the Congress party used to contest elections from Akola West constituency, but the Thackeray faction also staked its claim here.
