MUMBAI: The BJP has announced its first list for the upcoming state polls, but the Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) are currently at an impasse over 15 seats. Both parties have firmly refused to yield their winning seats to one another, leading to a situation that has escalated to Delhi.Following Congress’s refusal to concede these 15 seats, Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting with senior leaders to explore possible solutions. Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) youth leader Aditya Thackeray, along with Anil Parab, met with NCP(SP) leader Sharad Pawar in an effort to break the deadlock between Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress.A meeting of the Congress election committee and screening committee scheduled for Sunday in Delhi was canceled due to the ongoing dispute over 15 seats, which had originally been expected to lead to candidate announcements. Senior Congress leaders indicated that they remained in Delhi, awaiting further instructions, as another meeting could take place on Monday.One senior leader shared that Congress was preparing for a scenario where they might contest 150 to 160 seats, a significant increase from the previously planned 110 to 120.“The party leadership told us that Congress should prepare to contest 150 to 160 seats if something happens as a contingency plan. Therefore, we were ready for 110 and 120 seats maximum, but we have to discuss the remaining seats and potential candidates as well. We all are calling the aspirants candidates from these remaining constituencies and understand their opinion and current social and political scenario as well,” he said, requesting anonymity.Another Congress leader criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) for its demands, pointing out their lack of presence and candidates in the region. He emphasised the critical nature of the upcoming elections and urged Shiv Sena (UBT) to reconsider its claims to avoid handing over these seats to the rival Mahayuti alliance.In response, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader remarked that Congress needs to learn from its past mistakes, particularly referencing the party’s losses in Haryana. He expressed hope that the issue would be resolved in the larger interest of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. Uddhav Thackeray himself has called for a swift resolution to the impasse, emphasizing the need to avoid prolonging the situation.
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