NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar
Credit: PTI Photo
Baramati, Maharashtra: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will conclude its seat-sharing talks in 8 to 10 days for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls and asserted the opposition alliance has to strive to come to power in the state "at any cost".
Targeting those who left his party, Pawar claimed not even a handful of them will win the state polls.
Elections to the 288-member state assembly are likely to be held in mid-November, the NCP (SP) chief said addressing his party workers in Pune's Baramati town.
Winnability will be the only merit for the selection of candidates, the former Union minister said, adding that in a coalition, adjustments and flexible approach are a must.
The MVA comprises the NCP (SP), Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT).
"You can't contest all the seats and have to allow the other two partners to field candidates and you have to work for them as well. We have to get our own government at any cost," Pawar asserted.
The three MVA allies will be seeking views of the party workers on the "original aspirant" for a particular seat, he said.
Survey in each taluka is being done, the former state chief minister mentioned.
Pawar said political party leaders may take their own decision, but the workers are directly connected to the people.
"Those who left us, not even a handful of them will get re-elected," he said.
Due to the good performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, expectations are high from the party workers, but all the allies need to be adjusted, Pawar said.
"Like in the Lok Sabha elections, I hope you will work hard for the assembly polls as well," Pawar said to his party workers.
Out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the MVA won 30 seats -- Congress 13, Shiv Sena (UBT) 9 and NCP (SP) 8.