The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra has finalised a seat-sharing agreement for 15 of the 17 legislative council seats that will go to polls on June 18. According to the consensus reached on Friday, the Congress party will contest eight seats, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) will field candidates for four seats, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) will contest three seats.
Decision taken at joint meeting
Senior leaders from the MVA, including state Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Desai, took the decision during a joint meeting held at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai. The meeting aimed to streamline the alliance's strategy for the upcoming elections.
Stalemate over Nashik and Nanded seats
However, the MVA partners have yet to arrive at a consensus regarding the Nashik and Nanded seats, which have emerged as the primary points of contention. Different parties within the alliance have staked claims to these constituencies. In Nanded, the Congress party holds a stronger numerical presence compared to its allies, while in Nashik, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is ahead in terms of local representation.
Strategy to field influential candidates
Although the numbers are not in favour of the alliance, the MVA is aiming to field influential candidates who could persuade local representatives from the governing coalition to vote for them. The MVA hopes that strong candidates will be able to sway the electorate despite the arithmetic disadvantage.
Allegations against Mahayuti
The MVA has also accused the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance of indulging in horse-trading, misuse of power and money, and attempts to poach corporators ahead of the elections. In response, Sapkal has appointed senior party politicians as observers for the MLC polls to ensure fair conduct.
Background of the elections
The six-year terms of 16 MLCs from local authority constituencies ended between 2022 and 2025, but the elections were delayed due to pending court cases and the postponement of local body polls in the state. A bypoll for the Nagpur local authority constituency was also announced after BJP's Chandrashekhar Bawankule resigned before completing his tenure, following his election as an MLA in 2024.
In the 78-member legislative council, 22 members are elected by corporators, councillors, and elected representatives of local self-government bodies. The MVA's seat-sharing deal covers a significant portion of these seats, with only two remaining to be resolved.
