Raut disappointed with MVA seat-sharing delays, criticises Congress leaders

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday expressed disappointment over the delay in the seat-sharing talks among MVA partners and claimed that Maharashtra Congress leaders are not capable of making decisions.

Talking to reporters, Raut said Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners Congress, Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have reached a consensus on 200 of the 288 assembly seats.

The Rajya Sabha member said he spoke to Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik and the party's Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala on Friday morning over seat-sharing. The Sena (UBT) leader said he would also speak to top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi later in the day.

The pending decision should be expedited. Very little time is left. Maharashtra Congress leaders are not capable of making decisions. They have to send the list to Delhi frequently and then discussions happen. The decision will have to be taken at the earliest, Raut said.

Late on Thursday evening, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said that a list of 20-25 assembly constituencies where MVA partners have overlapping claims will be sent to the high commands of each party to resolve the stalemate.

Patole told reporters that the MVA leaders involved in seat-sharing talks had a final meeting on Thursday. He said attempts were being made to declare the seat-sharing arrangement for all 288 constituencies by October 18-19.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the MVA performed impressively winning 30 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. Assembly polls in the state will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.