MUMBAI: With the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections looming ahead, all political parties have begun their preparations. After NCP’s meeting, the Congress had organised a meeting with their leaders at Tilak Bhavan in Mumbai on Tuesday where the party discussed 50-50 seat sharing formula with NCP.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is in-charge of Maharashtra and Maharashtra, state chief Ashok Chavan and other leaders discussed the issue of alliance in the meeting.
Sharad Pawar-led NCP has already demanded the Congress must share at least 50 per cent seats. However, the seat-sharing formula has not been finalised, but according to sources, there are chances that the Congress may agree with the formula. The Congress and NCP have held two meetings in the last two months to discuss poll strategy.
According to a Congress insider, “It is the general practice in any political alliance for the party with the sitting legislator to retain that particular constituency. Hence, the Congress and NCP will stake claim on their winning constituencies in the 2014 assembly poll. The issue is about the remaining constituencies of the total 288 constituencies.”
While Congress currently has 42 legislators, the NCP has 41 legislators in the state assembly. In the 2014 poll, the parties had contested separately. In 2004 and 2009, the Congress-NCP seat-sharing formula was 174-114 respectively. “Having learnt their lessons after their rout in the 2014 poll by contesting separately, leaders of both parties have decided to join hands,” said a Congress leader.
