Congress tries to pacify sulking Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai; AICC’s Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at latter’s residence ‘Matoshree’ amid the growing tension between the two parties over the seat sharing for the assembly election. The Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have staked claims on more than dozen same seats. Mr. Chennithala said that they would resolve all the issues in a day or two.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav, who is on a two days tour in Maharashtra, announced his party’s four candidates in the state even before the conclusion of MVA’s seat sharing talks.

According to the sources, apart from enquiring about Mr. Thackeray’s well being as he underwent angiography recently, the AICC’s Maharashtra in-charge also tried to pacify the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, who had expressed his displeasure over Maharashtra unit chief Nana Patole’s approach towards the demands of his party in the seat sharing meeting, especially in Vidarbha region. Post this, the Congress high command sent Mr. Chennithala to ease tensions amongst the MVA constituents. He also met NCP founder Sharad Pawar at Y. B. Chavan centre in South Mumbai.

In the last meeting, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and Maharashtra Congress chief had altercations over several seats in Vidarbha region, because of which the rift amongst the constituents of the MVA has widened. Post this, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief on Friday said that all partners of the alliance should ensure that things should not be far stretched till it breaks.

In view of this, the meeting between Mr. Chennithala and Mr. Thackeray was crucial. Speaking with the reporters after meeting the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Mr Chennithala said that he visited Mr. Thackeray to enquire about his health.

“Health of Uddhav Thackeray as well as of Maha Vikas Aghadi is satisfactory. We are going to contest the Assembly election together. The seat-sharing talks have resumed in the afternoon,” Mr. Chennithala said.

After the meeting with the NCP (SP) chief, Mr. Chennithala said that there is no conflict in the MVA and they would resolve all the issues related to the seat sharing in the next two days. “We will complete the seat distribution and announce it in the next one or two days. We will fight together against the BJP and the MVA will come back to power,” he said.

Meanwhile, the SP, which in an alliance of INDIA bloc, announced its four candidates — Abu Asim Azmi from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Raees Sheikh from Bhiwandi (East), Riyaz Azmi from Bhiwandi (West) and Shane Hind from Malegaon. Akhilesh Yadav made this announcement while addressing a public rally in Malegaon.

Speaking with the reporters, SP national president Akhilesh Yadav said that the party has demanded 12 seats from the MVA. “We have two MLAs. The way, the SP workers and leaders are preparing for the Maharashtra Assembly election, they should be given respectful numbers of the seats,” he said.