Shiv Sena-Uhhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said the seat-sharing talks between his party and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar have concluded as these two parties are driven by a desire and mindset to resolve issues.
His remark is apparently targeted at the third Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partner Congress again, a day after he expressed disappointment over the delay in the seat-sharing talks in the alliance and accused the Maharashtra Congress leaders of being incapable of making decisions.
Talking to reporters, Raut said the current national politics is being driven by regional parties and his party's stand is that they must get space in their respective states.
He said Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country with the help of regional parties like Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal-United (JD-U).
There is a majority of regional parties in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), he added.
The Rajya Sabha member also said that Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav spoke to Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray and the talks between the two leaders were good.
"We (Sena-UBT) held talks with NCP-SP the whole day on Friday. Jayant Patil, the state president of NCP-SP and we held talks. Most of the issues between us are being resolved. At the end, you need a mindset and will to resolve the issue and both of us have that," Raut said.
"Seat-sharing between Sena-UBT and NCP-SP has concluded. Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray are personally looking into it because our high command is in Mumbai," he added.
Amid an impasse over seat-sharing among the three MVA parties, Uddhav Thackeray on Friday cautioned that haggling among allies, particularly the Congress, must not be allowed to reach a breaking point.
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Chennithala meets Uddhav amid impasse over seat-sharing, downplays visit
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala met Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday amid a stalemate among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents over seat-sharing for the upcoming Maharashtra polls.
The All India Congress Committee in-charge, however, downplayed the visit, saying he met Thackeray to inquire about his health.
The MVA and the ruling Mahayuti are yet to declare their much-awaited seat-sharing pact.
The elections to the 288-member state assembly will be held on November 20, and votes will be counted on November 23.
Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Patole said there was a stalemate in the MVA over 25 to 30 assembly seats and maintained the party's state unit would abide by any decision its high command takes.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree' in Bandra, Chennithala downplayed his visit, saying he had come to meet Thackeray to inquire about his health as the Sena-UBT leader had been hospitalised a few days ago.
Chennithala was accompanied by Congress leaders Naseem Khan and Bhai Jagtap, and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut, who has been critical of Patole, was also present.
"The MVA will contest the assembly elections unitedly, and the seat-sharing talks will be held in the presence of Patole, NCP-SP leader Jayant Patil and Shiv Sena UBT's Sanjay Raut," he said.
The seat-sharing talks will take place in the afternoon, he said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Raut said, "Chennithala is a senior leader of Congress. We have discussed various issues regarding seat sharing, and he met Thackeray also."
He said the Congress leader met Thackeray to discuss seats that have not been finalised.
Thackeray on Friday cautioned that haggling among allies, particularly the Congress, must not be allowed to reach a breaking point, while Raut claimed that state Congress leaders were incapable of making decisions on the distribution of assembly constituencies.
