For the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra, it is only the winnability of the candidate that matters and only those candidates likely to win the constituency seat they are standing from will be fielded – this was the formula agreed on at the meeting between the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP and Congress at Trident Hotel in Nariman Point on Thursday.
The meeting was called by MVA leaders
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, MP Vinayak Raut, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, Congress state president Nana Patole, former CM Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, and Varsha Gaikwad were present at the meeting, which began at 11:30 AM and continued until 6:00 PM.
NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad said, "We had discussions on all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and decided that only the party with the capacity to win the concerned seat would be allowed to contest the election from that particular constituency. We did not discuss how many seats a party would contest but discussed the winning capacity of the party"
Awhad added, "At this stage, we will not disclose any further, but as per election strategy, we will see who is being fielded by the opposing party, and the candidate capable of defeating the opposition face will get the seat." "We have one aim – to restore democracy in the country and eliminate dictatorship," said Awhad.
'MVA to contest Lok Sabha Polls 2024' said Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut
Sanjay Raut said, "There are no differences among us. The Maha Vikas Aghadi will contest the Lok Sabha election unitedly and will support and treat the candidate we field as our own party's candidate. We had a positive discussion today." About the disappointment of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar at not being called for the meeting on Thursday, Raut said, "Prakash Ambedkar and Raju Shetti (chief of Swabhimani Paksha) will both be there at the next meeting, on January 30." Raut expressed the belief that Nitish Kumar would not leave the INDIA bloc.
Meanwhile, Ambedkar expressed dismay at not being called to the meeting. A letter was issued by the MVA leadership on Thursday afternoon but Ambedkar refused to attend, contending that it was Nana Patole, who had no power in the MVA, who had signed the letter.
