MVA leaders mulling over panel to take call on Lok Sabha candidates: Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi are considering forming a panel, which might have two members from each of the partners, to decide the candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar said on Monday.

The BJP’s defeat in the Karnataka Assembly elections has spurred the MVA, which has NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) as partners, to put up a united challenge to the ruling party in Maharashtra in next year’s general elections.

“Each party will perhaps nominate two leaders to discuss Lok Sabha candidates. The three main parties will hold talks on a seat-sharing formula,” Pawar said.

He was speaking to reporters here about a meeting of key MVA members at NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s home here on Sunday that included Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, and Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Naseem Khan.

Of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJP had won 23 in 2019, followed by the then undivided Shiv Sena’s tally of 18. While the NCP won 4 seats, the Congress got one.

“It was also decided in the meeting where ‘Vajramooth’ rallies (of MVA) can be held,” he said, adding that some people think the Lok Sabha elections and state polls will be held simultaneously.

NCP state president Jayant Patil said on Sunday that the MVA’s 'Vajramooth' rallies, currently put on hold, will resume after the summer heat subsides.

In Karnataka elections, the results of which were declared on Saturday, the Congress won 135 seats out of 224, while the ruling BJP and the former prime minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) secured 66 and 19 seats, respectively.