Seat-sharing uncertainties in MVA: Uddhav offers Mumbai North & North Central to Congress, Patole says talks on

“We want our ally to contest the Mumbai North Central and Mumbai North seats. Our workers will work hard to ensure their victory,” Uddhav said.

State Congress president Nana Patole, however, did not comment on the proposal and said, “We are in the alliance and our talks are on. We will be having our meeting and will discuss on that.”

In the press conference at Matoshree, Thackeray also said that since the seat sharing is over and candidates have been announced the Congress should start the campaigning.

Thackeray also said that Sena UBT had given up Ramtek and Amaravati seats, which the party had won in 2019 polls, to Congress, the latter should now give up their claim on the Sangli seat which has become a bone of contention between the two alliance partners.

“We gave Amravati and Ramtek seats to Congress. They should now give up their claim on Sangli,” he said adding that the Sena workers has started the campaigning for Sangli candidate Chandrahar Patil.

He also took swipes at statements made by a few Congress leaders about having a “friendly fight” in Sangli.

“There is nothing like friendly fight. Either you fight with each other or you are a friend. If this happens then it will have ramifications not only in Maharashtra but in the country too,” Uddhav said.

The Mumbai North Central and Mumbai North seats are  currently represented by BJP’s Poonam Mahajan and Gopal Shetty respectively.

Even as Poonam Mahajan won from Mumbai North Central twice, in 2014 and 2019 polls, the BJP is looking to replace Mahajan with a new candidate.

BJP sources hinted at anti-incumbency as well as “the changed political equations in the constituency” after the split in the Shiv Sena as reasons for the party’s hesitation on fielding Mahajan.

With its sizeable Christian and Muslim populations, the diverse and cosmopolitan Mumbai North Central seat was earlier a challenge for BJP.

The Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency comprises Vile Parle, Chandivali, Kurla (SC), Kalina, Bandra (East) and Bandra (West) Assembly constituencies.

Sitting BJP MP Poonam Mahajan won the seat in 2014 and 2019 defeating Congress’s Priya Dutt.  In 2009, Dutt had defeated the BJP’s Mahesh Jethmalani.

In Mumbai North constituency, BJP’s Gopal Shetty had defeated actor Urmila Matondkar in 2019. Shetty had won by over 4 lakh votes.

Considering it as the safest seat for the party, the BJP has fielded Union Minister Piyush Goyal replacing Shetty.

The MVA is yet to announce the candidate from the seat. However, it is being speculated that Sena UBT may give a ticket to former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar.

Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency comprises Dahisar, Magathane, Borivali, Kandivali East, Malad West and Charkop Assembly constituencies which has a considerable Gujarati and Marwadi population.