Trouble in INDIA bloc, Congress objects to UBT Sena announcing candidates on seats under discussion

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 27 (ANI): After Shiv Sena (UBT) announced its first list of candidates in Maharashtra for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Congress’ senior state leader and member of the MVA negotiating committee Balasaheb Thorat said that the Sena should not have announced the candidates for Mumbai South Central, Bhiwandi and Sangli as those seats were still under discussion.

“Sena should not have announced the candidates for Mumbai South Central and Sangli. These were still under discussion,” Thorat said speaking to ANI on Friday.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) named senior leader Anil Desai from the Mumbai South Central parliamentary constituency and Chandrahar Patil in Sangli.

“The Congress leaders are angy at the list released by the Uddhav Shiv Sena today. I would request the Sena to reconsider its candidates list that it has announced. Discussions were on in some of the seats and everyone was expected to follow the spirit of the Aghadi,” Thorat said speaking in a video statement on Wednesday.

Thorat, who was leading the seat-sharing talks with the Shiv Sena on behalf of the Maharashtra Congress, questioned the announcement of seats while discussions on some seats were still ongoing.

“Discussion was ongoing, on the seats of Sangli, Bhiwandi and South Central Mumbai. In such a situation, how can candidates’ names be announced in a one-sided manner. This issue will be discussed in the next meeting of Mahavikas Aghadi,” Thorat said.

Thorat also shared that Congress leaders from Sangli are going to Delhi to meet the party high command.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad said that they have conveyed their displeasure about the Shiv Sena seats announced in Mumbai to the pary high command.

“Shiv Sena UBT should not have unilaterally declared candidates on the Sangli seat and the seats where discussions were still on among allies. We have conveyed our displeasure to the party leadership about Mumbai and we will take steps as suggested by our leadership,” Gaikwad said.

On Wednesday morning, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the list of the 17 candidates, namely for Raigad, Ratnagiri, Thane, Parbhani, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shirdi, South Mumbai, North West Mumbai, North East Mumbai, Sangli, Hingoli, Dharshiv, Nasik and Maval seats.

The UBT Sena is fighting the Maharashtra polls in alliance with the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the Congress.Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20.

The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats.

The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four. Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP. (ANI)