Nana Patole says Congress took one step back; discontent in party over seat-sharing deal

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Tuesday said his party did not "surrender" but took a step back in the seat-sharing negotiations with its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners as the talks could not go on indefinitely.

Patole's statement came even as there was apparent disgruntlement in the state unit over Congress ceding seats such as Sangli and Bhiwandi. "We took a step back, we did not surrender," he told reporters after the seat-sharing formula was announced.

"The deal has been finalised after consultations with the party high command. We tried our best to get the seats where we had good prospects of winning. But the talks cannot be stretched too far as the election process has already begun," Patole said.

On the Sangli unit of Congress calling a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the future course of action, he said it was done after taking his permission.

As per Congress sources, the party's local leadership in Mumbai too was upset over the failure to get at least three out of six seats in the city. As per the deal, Congress will contest two and Shiv Sena (UBT) four seats in Maharashtra's capital.

Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad had written a letter to AICC general secretary K Venugopal complaining that the state leadership sacrificed the party's interests in Mumbai, sources said.

The MVA earlier on Tuesday announced its seat-sharing formula for 48 seats in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena (UBT) getting the major chunk of 21 seats, Congress 17 and the NCP (SP) ten seats.