Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
With the municipal corporation elections fast approaching, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) continues to remain in disarray, with uncertainty persisting even as the deadline for filing nomination papers is just two days away. Despite several rounds of discussions, the alliance has failed to reach a clear understanding, leaving workers and voters alike uncertain.
Amid pressure from party cadres, city district Congress president Sheikh Yusuf announced that the Congress would no longer hold talks with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Sources said negotiations stalled after the Uddhav Sena demanded a disproportionately high number of seats. Sheikh Yusuf clarified that the Congress will now limit its discussions to the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar). Seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi over a ward in MP Kalyan Kale’s constituency also remained unresolved on Saturday. While the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has insisted on being allotted one seat, MP Kale is reportedly unwilling to concede any seat from his constituency. The stalemate has raised doubts over whether the two parties will opt for a friendly contest or risk a split within the alliance. Meanwhile, NCP (Sharad Pawar) observer and Beed MP Bajrang Sonwane could not visit the city on Saturday, as Ambadas Danve had travelled to Nashik for Aditya Thackeray’s tour. However, NCP (Sharad Pawar) district president Pandurang Tangde Patil asked all aspirants to go ahead and file their nomination papers, assuring that final decisions and AB forms would be issued once the alliance takes a call.