India News | MVA Seat-sharing Talks Will Be Smooth, Cong in Better Position Than in 2014, 2019, Says Patole
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. (Eds: Seat sharing talks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi will be smooth since the primary aim was to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said on Friday.
(Eds: Adds quotes)Mumbai, Jun 2 (PTI) Seat sharing talks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi will be smooth since the primary aim was to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said on Friday.
A two-day meeting of the Congress to review its chances in 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra began here and Patole was speaking to reporters after the process had been completed for the 21 of 24 seats earmarked for the first day.
He said the Congress was in a much better position in the state when compared to the 2014 and 2019 general elections.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress. It was in power in the state between 2019 and June 2020.
"The Congress is organisationally strong in all 48 Lok Sabha seats. We will discuss strategy to win maximum seats. Even though the Congress is reviewing all 48 seats, there will no problem in seat sharing talks," he told reporters.
"Defeating the BJP is our primary aim. After this two day meet (of the Congress), the future strategy will be discussed in the MVA meeting. Congress is the only alternative to the BJP nationally," Patole asserted.
The views of MVA allies like the Communists, Samajwadi Party, Peasants and Workers Party will be considered during seat sharing talks, the state Congress chief added.
He said seat sharing talks in the MVA will not be about competition over which of the three constituent parties gets more seats. It would be about winnability, he added.
Patole, however, evaded a direct reply on the Pune Lok Sabha seat, as the NCP is also keen to contest the bypoll, the date of which is yet to be announced by the Election Commission.
Let the poll schedule for Pune be announced and the issue would be resolved amicably then, Patole asserted.
The seat fell vacant after BJP MP Girish Bapat died following a prolonged illness on March 29.
Patole said Chandrapur Lok Sabha seat and six constituencies of Mumbai will be reviewed after some days.
Chandrapur Lok Sabha seat was the only one the Congress won in the 2019 polls. Sitting MP Balu Dhanorkar died in Delhi on May 30.
All party leaders will tour the state over the next few days, Patole said, adding that the people of Maharashtra were fed up with the dictatorial attitude of the BJP.
Queried about the meeting between Gautam Adani and Sharad Pawar of ally NCP, Patole said his party did not have any personal animosity with the industrialist.
"The questions raised by Rahul Gandhi about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adani must be answered. From where did Rs 20,000 crore come into Adani companies? How is it that all companies are sold to Adani group?" he alleged.
Adani firm's have been accused of stock manipulation and accounting fraud by US-based Hindenburg Research, allegations which the industrialist has dismissed as baseless.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)