Ahead of the formalisation of the seat-sharing tie-up among the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, its smaller ally – the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – has staked claim for 12 seats.

Confirming the development, CPI (M)’s Maharashtra State Committee Dr Uday Narkar said on Thursday: “We have attended a couple of meetings of the MVA....We have asked the MVA leadership to allocate us 12 seats”.

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the CPI (M) represents one seat--  Dahanu (ST) in  Palghar district, from where its  party man Vinod Nikole was elected in the 2019 polls.

Apart from Dahanu (ST) seat, the other Assembly constituencies from where the CPI (M) wants to contest areL Vikramgad in Palghar district, Shahpur in Thane district, Kalwan, Dindori, Nashik West and Igatpuri in Nashik district, Kinwat in Nanded district, Majalgaon in Beed district, Pathari in Parbhani district, Solapur City Central in Solapur district and Akole in Ahmednagar district.

“For the past several years, we have been very active in the constituencies where we would field our candidates.  We are part of the INDIA block at the national level. We expect the MVS to allocate the seats we have asked for,” Dr Narkar said.   

The All India Kisan Sabha (AKIS) had in the PAST led several farmers’ movements in Maharashtra, while several Left unions are active in urban areas.

The three major constituents of the MVA are Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the Shiv Sena (UBT).  The Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPI (M), Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) are the smaller constituents of the MVA.

It is doubtful whether the MVA will allocate 12 seats. If anything, the MVA may consider allocating 3 to 4 four seats to the CPI (M), as against 12 seats demanded by the latter.  Because, the MVA’s three major constituents will have to accommodate its other small allies like the SP, CPI and PWP.

On their part, the Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have so far not yet commented on the demand for 12 seats made by the CPI (M).