"Congress Has To Start From Zero": Shiv Sena (UBT) Over INDI Alliance Seat Sharing In Maharashtra For Lok Sabha Polls

The Congress party may face challenges in negotiating for seats in Maharashtra's INDI Alliance, according to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.

On Friday, Raut stated that the national party would need to initiate seat negotiations from "zero" due to their lack of any constituency wins in the state in 2019.

He also added that his party informed senior Congress leaders that discussions regarding seats won by Sena would be held after other seats have been addressed.

In the 2019 elections, Shiv Sena allied with the BJP and secured 18 seats. However, they parted ways a few months later.

In the previous year, a significant division within the party was instigated by Eknath Shinde, with a majority of MPs and MLAs endorsing his choice to form an alliance with the BJP. Despite this, the faction of the Sena led by a beleaguered Uddhav Thackeray, known as Shiv Sena (UBT), continues to maintain its alliance with the NCP and the Congress.

"In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena is the leading party, while Congress is recognszed nationally. Uddhav Thackeray is currently engaged in productive conversations with key Congress leaders, such as Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge. It has always been the case that Shiv Sena contests on 23 seats in Lok Sabha elections. During our meeting with the INDI Alliance, it was agreed that further discussions would be held regarding the seats we've won," Raut stated, as reported by news agency ANI.

"Despite not securing a single seat in Maharashtra, which leaves Congress starting from scratch, they remain a crucial ally for us within the MVA," he elaborated.

Numerous leaders from the INDI Alliance have insinuated that they may compete in the Lok Sabha elections independently within their specific states.

On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, asserted that the TMC is the sole political party capable of giving the BJP a run for its money.

"The INDI Alliance will be present nationwide. In Bengal, the TMC is poised to combat and overcome the BJP. It's important to note that, in Bengal, the BJP can only be challenged by the TMC and not by any other party," she stated.

Leaders from AAP have previously suggested that they may compete independently in the elections in Delhi and Punjab.