Maharashtra polls: MVA still stalled over crucial seats as leaders race against time

Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, comprising the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), is locked in negotiations over 23 critical assembly seats. While leaders have managed to settle the allocation for over 90% of the 288 seats ahead of the impending elections, disputes over these remaining constituencies—largely in Mumbai and other key regions—are proving to be a major hurdle.

The alliance's leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, and Nana Patole, have been holding high-level meetings to address the issue. Despite some progress, deadlocks persist over several important constituencies, such as Kurla and Byculla in Mumbai, where fierce competition among party candidates for nomination is contributing to the impasse. Additionally, the division of key rural districts, considered electoral strongholds, remains unresolved.