Zilla Parishad polls: Sena (UBT), Cong and VBA plan joint contest in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jan 20 (PTI) After putting up a poor show in recent civic polls, the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Vanchit Bahuhan Aghadi are planning a joint contest in the upcoming elections to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said on Tuesday that talks are positive, and a consensus has been reached in seven out of nine talukas.

MVA allies, Congress and Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), and Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, contested the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation elections separately, but the gambit didn't work.

The Congress won only a single seat, the Sena (UBT) six, while the VBA managed four seats.

Danve told PTI that the three parties are planning to contest 63 seats in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ZP and 126 seats of the Panchayat Samiti.

"We have so far held discussions for 55 seats of the ZP and 116 seats of the Panchayat Samiti. We have tweaked the selection criterion. We will focus on the winnability of candidates," he added.

He said talks are positive and a consensus has been reached in seven out of nine talukas of Sambhajinagar district.

Addressing reporters, Danve also appealed to the NCP (SP) to join hands for defeating the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP combine. PTI AW NSK