2019 Lok Sabha elections: Congress, NCP to share equal number of seats in Maharashtra?

Mumbai, Jan 5: The Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress have finalised a seat-sharing arrangement for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

As per senior NCP leader Praful Patel, the Rahul Gandhi- and Sharad Pawar-led parties have each agreed to contest 20 seats each out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. On the remaining eight seats, a decision is yet to be taken.

The NCP leader also exuded confidence that the alliance with like-minded parties would get "great success" in the election. "We are always of the opinion that like-minded parties should come together. I am sure that the alliance will achieve great success," he said.

Patel's remarks come at a time when NCP chief Sharad Pawar held a meeting with key leaders to discuss the party's preparation for Lok Sabha polls. "We want to bring parties which believe in (chief Constitution maker) BR Ambedkar's ideology together," Patel said.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh's 80.

The two parties are currently holding discussions with like-minded parties on sharing the seats, he added.

"The Congress and the NCP have made progress in their discussions on seat-sharing in Maharashtra for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha election.

"We are always of the opinion that like-minded parties should come together. I am sure that the alliance will achieve great success," he told reporters.

As per reports, the NCP is likely to field former Maharashtra minister Sunil Tatkare from Raigad Lok Sabha seat, where another party leader Bhaskar Jadhav had staked claim. It may also field Dhananjay Mahadik from Kolhapur again.

The NCP at present has four Lok Sabha MPs from the state: Supriya Sule from Baramati, Dhananjay Mahadik from Kolhapur, Udayanraje Bhosale from Satara and Vijaysinh Mohite Patil from Madha.