Maharashtra Congress Incharge Meets Uddhav Thackeray In Delhi; MVA Seat-Sharing Talks On Wednesday

Congress’ Maharashtra incharge Ramesh Chennithala met with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday who is on a three-day visit to Delhi.

The Congress leader said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would discuss seat-sharing for assembly polls on August 7 in Mumbai.

Thackeray is expected to meet key Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi during his three-day visit.

Thackeray embarked on his first visit to Delhi after the Maha Vika Aghadi comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) bagged 31 out of 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra.

Chennithala told reporters the meeting with Thackeray at the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut was informal.

As Thackeray heads the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Chennithala is the Congress incharge for Maharashtra, the discussions were obviously about the state and the upcoming elections, Raut said, adding that Thackeray is scheduled to meet Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi.

Leaders of the INDIA bloc are likely to hold a meeting in the national capital this week, sources said on Tuesday.

Maharashtra, a key state for BJP and Congress, is going to the polls in October this year.

Raut on Monday said Thackeray is on a samvad tour to Delhi.

“Leaders of the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party will meet him,” the Rajya Sabha member had said.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam on Tuesday claimed Thackeray travelled to Delhi for his chief ministerial ambitions ignoring the rain-affected people of Maharashtra.

“Thackeray went to Delhi to get a better deal ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. It appears that he is more focussed on his political interests rather than addressing the sufferings of the people affected by rains,” Nirupam told reporters in Mumbai.

He claimed Thackeray was trying to project himself as the chief ministerial face of the MVA but Sharad Pawar is keen to install his daughter Supriya Sule in the CM’s seat.

“Thackeray has effectively surrendered before the Congress party, but there are several contenders for the CM post within the state Congress too,” said Nirupam who quit the Congress earlier this year.

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