 "Congress-NCP seat talks today")
The meeting comes in the wake of opposition parties such as the Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Republican Party of India and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana forming a MahaYuti (grand alliance) to take on the 15-year-old Congress-NCP combine.
Ten days ago, NCP had also given an ultimatum to the Congress to initiate negotiations for seat-sharing or else it would explore options. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had insisted state leaders complete their discussions with NCP and only after that would the party high command step in.
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In the meeting, the Congress will be represented by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, state unit president Manikrao Thakre and general secretary in-charge Mohan Prakash. From the NCP, Union Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and state NCP chief Bhaskar Jadhav will take part.
Thakre and Jadhav conceded it was only a formality to seal the electoral pact on 22-26 formula with options for change of a few Lok Sabha seats between the two parties. Both sides also indicated the political compulsions to strike an alliance.
The Congress is keen to stake its claim on Raver constituency in Jalgaon district (north Maharashtra) and Hingoli in Marathwada. These seats were contested by NCP in 2009 elections. Congress plans to nominate in Raver its associate member Manish Jain, who is member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's blue eyed boy and the Indian Youth Congress president Rajiv Satav in Hingoli.
On the other hand, NCP has indicated that it will field its candidates in Raigad and Washim Yavatmal constituencies which are currently in the Congress quota. NCP may nominate Jadhav or state irrigation minister and Raigad district guardian minister Sunil Tatkare in Raigad constituency while state food and drugs minister Manohar Naik in Washim Yavatmal.
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Thakre, who has already appointed party ministers and leaders in 26 Lok Sabha constituencies for election coordination works, told Business Standard ''Final decision will be taken by the party high command.'' Jadhav hoped that the both the parties will soon declare the seat sharing pact as it will give sufficient time for candidates to tour respective constituencies. He said Congress-NCP alliance will effective weather the anti incumbency on the development plank.
Monday's meeting comes close on the heels of claims and counter claims made by Congress and NCP about seat sharing. While NCP took the initiative and about three months ago announced that it was in favour of 22:26 seat sharing formula implemented by both the parties during 2009 polls.
However, Congress not only rejected it but argued that its electoral alliance with NCP will be possible on its terms citing its increased strength especially in the local and civic bodies across the state after last general elections. Congress leaders in a bid to checkmate NCP proposed a slew of seat sharing formats including 27-21, 29-19 or 32-16 which were strongly opposed by the latter.