MVA seat-sharing talks will be smooth, aim is to defeat BJP: Cong's Patole

Seat sharing talks in the Maha Vikas Aghadi will be smooth since the primary aim was to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party, said Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Friday ahead of a two-day review meeting of his party of the state's 48 Lok Sabha seats.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress. It was in power in the state between 2019 and June 2020.

"The Congress is organisationally strong in all 48 Lok Sabha seats. We will discuss strategy to win maximum seats. Even though the Congress is reviewing all 48 seats, there will no problem in seat sharing talks," he told reporters.

"Defeating the BJP is our primary aim. After this two day meet (of the Congress), the future strategy will be discussed in the MVA meeting. Congress is the only alternative to the BJP nationally," Patole asserted.

The views of MVA allies like the Communists, Samajwadi Party, Peasants and Workers Party will be considered during seat sharing talks, the state Congress chief added.

Queried about the meeting between Gautam Adani and Sharad Pawar of ally NCP, Patole said his party did not have any personal animosity with the industrialist.

"The questions raised by Rahul Gandhi about the relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adani must be answered. From where did Rs 20,000 crore come into Adani companies? How is it that all companies are sold to Adani group?" he alleged.

Adani firm's have been accused of stock manipulation and accounting fraud by US-based Hindenburg Research, allegations which the industrialist has dismissed as baseless.