Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: Seat-Sharing Tensions Rise Within MVA Over Mumbai Constituencies

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), is facing internal challenges over the allocation of seats in Mumbai for the upcoming assembly elections, according to the Hindustan Times. Out of the 36 assembly segments in the city, Shiv Sena (UBT) has requested 20 seats, Congress is seeking 18, and NCP (SP) has asked for seven, leading to potential disagreements within the coalition.

Several key seats are being claimed by multiple parties. All three have expressed interest in Versova and Andheri East, while Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are also competing for constituencies such as Byculla, Colaba, Dharavi, Sion Koliwada, Wadala, Vandre East, and Chandivali. Moreover, five seats currently held by the BJP - Malabar Hill, Vile Parle, Charkop, Borivali, and Mulund - have not attracted interest from any party, further complicating the seat-sharing process.

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Shiv Sena (UBT), which secured 14 seats in Mumbai during the 2019 assembly elections and three in the recent Lok Sabha polls, believes it has a strong advantage among its allies, particularly in constituencies with significant Muslim populations, such as Vandre East. An insider revealed that the party has noticed an increase in Muslim votes since the Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, Congress, which won four seats in the last assembly polls and one in the recent Lok Sabha elections, is eager to contest 18 seats, hoping to regain ground as an alternative to the BJP. NCP (SP), which did not win any seats in Mumbai last time, is seeking seven constituencies, including Anushakti Nagar, Kurla, and Andheri West.

Complicating the situation further, MVA will need to accommodate smaller partners like the Samajwadi Party, making seat-sharing talks more challenging.