MVA cracks seat-share formula, Uddhav Thackeray grabs maximum

Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance has finally sealed its long-drawn seat-sharing deal ‘amicably’ for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, top leaders said here on Tuesday.

As per the arrangement, the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will contest 21 seats, the state Congress headed by Nana Patole will fight 17 constituencies and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) led by Sharad Pawar will contest 10 seats.

The announcement was made in the presence of all the other MVA allies, including smaller parties like PWP, CPI, AAP, CPM, SP and other Dalit parties.

While the main contenders have already finalised/announced their candidates for a majority of the constituencies, the rest shall be done in the coming few days, and the decision was unanimously taken based on the winnability factor in the maximum number of seats, the leaders said.

Pawar said there was no difference on any seat, while Thackeray appreciated the smaller parties for not building pressures on the alliance to contest seats "in view of the larger aim to save democracy".