Mumbai: Former MP and former City Congress Chief Sanjay Nirupam has said that the party would stake claim on Three Lok Sabha seats in the city. His statement came in the light of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s claim that it would contest at least Four out of Six Lok Sabha seats in the city.
Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central and Mumbai South-Central are the three seats crucial for the Congress and the party shall insist for these three seats, Nirupam said on Wednesday, adding that he himself is keen on contesting the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha seat.
Congress-NCP alliance
"The Congress had an alliance with the NCP during general elections in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. On all these occasions the party had contested five out of six Lok Sabha seats in the city. This time the party is prepared to leave a couple of seats to allies. But, is keen on contesting at least three seats. We don't expect five seats this time. We can climb down. But, the party leadership shall decide how much to climb down," Nirupam said.
The former city chief also made it clear that he is keen on contesting the Mumbai North-West constituency. "I've started basic work there, The local Shiv Sena unit also knows about it," he said and added that the Congress voter is in the three constituencies he mentioned and the seats appear in a favourable condition for the party.
Several hurdles in seat-sharing in I.N.D.I.A. Bloc
Nirupam also predicted that there would be several hurdles in the seat-sharing among I.N.D.I.A. partners, but added that they will be overcome. He also said that till there is no official statement from the Shiv Sena (UBT) the Congress won't give any official statement in this regard.
Nirupam also made it clear that the Shiv Sena (UBT) or the Congress won't be making any decision regarding who will get which seats and how many seats, but the leaders in I.N.D.I.A. alliance would make the decision after a committee on seat sharing will be formed in the state. Each of the states will have a separate committee to decide upon seat sharing, he added.
