Cong expects to get good seat-sharing deal in Maharashtra assembly polls based on merit, says Nana Patole

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Thursday said his party expects to get a good seat-sharing deal in the upcoming assembly elections in the state based on merit.

Elections to the 288-member legislative assembly in Maharashtra are likely to be held in October this year.

Talking to reporters here, Patole said the Congress has emerged as the largest party in the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the Lok Sabha polls in the state.

"We expect to get a good deal in seat-sharing for assembly polls based on merit", he said.

Patole, who led the state unit in the parliamentary elections, was weighed with 90 kg "laddoos" to celebrate the party's success.

Patole said his party cadre worked very hard and effectively communicated with the people ahead of the polls.

He also attributed the party's impressive performance to Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatras.

The MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).

In the just-concluded assembly elections, the Congress won 13 seats, a quantum jump from the solitary seat it won in the state in 2019, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) bagged nine and the NCP (SP) eight.

In the seat-sharing deal for the general elections, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) had got the largest share of seats among the three parties. Of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats, it contested 21 seats, followed by Congress at 17 and NCP (SP) at 10.