Shiv Sena UBT Announces Candidates On Under Discussion Seats In Maharashtra, Congress Protests

Balasaheb Thorat has questioned the announcement of candidates from these seats while discussions were still on.

Maharashtra MVA: There seems to be a shaky moment for the INDIA alliance in the state of Maharashtra since the announcement of the first list of candidates by the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Alliance partner Congress has not taken it in stride as the party’s senior state leader and member of the Mahavikas Aghadi (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.

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

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

“The Congress leaders are angry at the list released by the Uddhav Shiv Sena today. I would request the Sena to reconsider the 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,” said Thorat in a video statement issued on Wednesday.

Balasaheb Thorat has been managing the seat-sharing talks with the Shiv Sena on behalf of the Maharashtra Congress. He questioned the announcement of candidates from these seats while discussions 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,” said Thorat adding that Congress leaders from Sangli are going to Delhi to meet the party’s high command.

Varsha Gaikwad, the Mumbai Congress President, said that they have conveyed their displeasure about the Shiv Sena seats announced in Mumbai to the party’s 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,” said Gaikwad.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday morning posted on X 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.

हिंदूहृदयसम्राट शिवसेनाप्रमुख बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांच्या आशीर्वादाने आणि शिवसेना पक्ष प्रमुख श्री.उद्धवजी ठाकरे यांच्या आदेशाने शिवसेनेच्या 17 लोकसभा उमेदवारांची यादी जाहीर करण्यास येत आहे..
*मुंबई दक्षिण मध्य:श्री अनिल देसाई यांच्या उमेदवारीची घोषणा करण्यात येत आहे.
इतर 16 उमेदवार… pic.twitter.com/nPg2RHimSF

— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) March 27, 2024

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.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats and sends the second-largest number of MPs to the Lok Sabha after Uttar Pradesh which sends 80 MPs.

(With ANI inputs)