In an effort to have its way in the seat-sharing negotiations with its ruling alliance partner for the October 15 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the ruling Congress on Tuesday resorted to a psychological warfare with the NCP, by going to town saying it had “examined” the current political situation in all 288 Assembly seats in the State.
In no mood to give in to the NCP’s demand for equitable sharing of seats in the polls, the Maharashtra Congress sent out an indirect message to the NCP that it was open to contesting all the 288 seats in the State.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting of the party’s screening committee held in New Delhi to finalise the party candidates for the State Assembly polls, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre said: “At today’s meeting, we screened candidates for the 174 seats (coming under the Congress’ quota). In addition, we assessed information gathered from our party workers in 114 other constituencies (the seats that are currently under the NCP’s quota). We will have to talk to the NCP about the 114 seats as well.”
On the NCP’s demand for 144 out of total 288 seats, Thakre said: “The NCP’s demand is both surprising and unrealistic. On this issue, our state and central party leaders are talking with the NCP. A final decision on this will be taken by the Central Congress leadership.”
Asked as to why the Congress’ poll screening committee had chosen to “screen” candidates for the NCP-held 114 seats — a thing that had not happened in the previous elections, Thakre said: “like I said earlier, we have screened candidates for our 174 constituencies. In the case of the NCP-held 114 seats, we have not screened candidates but have assessed information obtained from our party workers from the respective constituencies as to the political situation there. We will use this information for swapping seats with the NCP.”