There are just 8 days left for the Maharashtra Lok Sabha Elections 2024 which begin on April 19, but the tension among the Maharashtra Congress does not seem to have resolved. There has been a slight sense of restlessness among the party members ever since the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) announced its seat-sharing deal with the alliances on April 9.
Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on April 11 clarified that she is not upset about not getting a seat to contest the election this time, but she stressed that the Congress party’s Maharashtra leadership should have pursued equal seat-sharing among the MVA allies to ensure a better deal in the metropolis.
In the MVA comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), the maximum number of seats was allocated to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) which will be contesting 21 seats. The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar) will contest 10 seats while the Congress gets 17 seats.
Speaking at a press conference, she said that every party organisation and their workers feel that they deserve fair representation with electoral seats. “There are six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, and the Congress is contesting from two of them. Earlier, the party used to contest from five seats, leaving only Mumbai North-East to the undivided NCP,” she said.
Since the Congress has a strong base strong in Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai North-West and Mumbai North-Central constituencies, Ms. Gaikwad insisted on these seats. “If victory and candidate with merit were the criteria to get seats, then the Congress fulfils these requirements from the three seats. I have raised our concerns verbally and in written letters too,” she added.
On asking whether there is restlessness among the Congress party workers due to the uneven seat sharing at a time when many senior leaders have left the party, Ms. Gaikwad said the party is still strong.
“Although some of the party leaders left the party, the Congress as an organisation is still strong, there is no doubt about it. In the coming days, people will see the engagement of the Mumbai Congress in the election work. Our foremost mission is to save India’s democracy and protect our constitution from the BJP’s authoritarian politics and unjust regime,” MS. Gaikwad said.
Ms. Gaikwad who was earlier adamant to get Mumbai South-Central seat, has now agreed to campaign for Anil Desai, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Mumbai South-Central. “As a party worker, I will listen to the high command leadership and perform my duties,” she added.
