Merit and winnability will be main criteria in deciding MVA seat-sharing formula, says Nana Patole

Mumbai: MPCC president Nana Patole on Tuesday said that merit and winnability would be the main criteria in the MVA while drafting the seat-sharing formula. "Not the number of seats, but merit and winnability will be the main norm for the seat-sharing formula. Our aim is to dislodge the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti govt," Patole said.
Patole said the seat-sharing formula would be finalised at a two-day meeting of MVA top brass on Sept 30 and Oct 1."We are meeting on Sept 30 and Oct 1, we expect to give a final shape to the seat-sharing formula," Patole said.
Though Patole was non-committal, according to a Congress politician, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest 100 seats each, while Sharad Pawar-led NCP will contest 80 seats, and the remaining seats will be allotted to small and friendly parties.
The Congress politician said that in the recent past, Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) had separate meetings to review and prepare for the assembly election. Then there was a discussion on every seat.
MVA constituents have identified the seats they can win and accordingly the specific data will be placed before the MVA meeting on Sept 30 and Oct 1. Based on merit and winnability, the seat-sharing formula will be finalised. "During the preliminary meetings, it was felt that it should not be difficult for the MVA to dislodge the Mahayuti govt," he said.
The general view in the MVA is that the much-publicised Ladli Bahin scheme will not benefit the Mahayuti in the assembly election. On the contrary, the Mahayuti will have to pay a heavy price for the Badlapur episode and the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue at Malvan in Sindhudurg district.