MUMBAI: The Congress party is to contest five of Mumbai’s six parliamentary seats, leaving one for its alliance partner, the National Congress Party (NCP). The decisions were made during a second round of seat-sharing talks between the two parties yesterday.
Talks of seat sharing have gained momentum in view of the coming national elections in April and May. The Congress-NCP alliance held one round of seat sharing talks last year. A subsequent round of talks are to be held in the second or third week of January. During the last Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won five seats while Shiv Sena won one -- the Mumbai South Central.
The Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saffron alliance is also thought to contest three seats each. The alliance is, however, yet to start talks at a formal level.
During the last elections, NCP contested the Mumbai South Central seat. Its candidate, Sachin Ahir, who is also its city unit chief, lost to Mohan Rawale of the Shiv Sena. The loss was attributed to Rawale’s uncle Akhil Bharatiya Sena Chief Arun Gawli who created a dent in the NCP vote bank.
Meanwhile, in another development, present political compulsions seem to have left no choice for rebel Congress leader Narayan Rane but to patch up with Congress. Some developments in this direction are likely in the next few days, said an aide of Rane yesterday.
Ironically, if that happens, former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Rane’s bete noire, shall once again have the last laugh. It was Deshmukh, who first hinted of Rane’s submission before the party’s high command. Rane is in talks with his close supporters; the majority of legislators close to him want him to remain with Congress.
If he decides to quit the party, some would not follow him, fearing their political careers.
Although Congress has publicly suspended Rane from the party, he has neither received a formal letter nor has the party’s high command taken any further action. Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief, sympathizes with Rane and reconciliation would not be a big issue, as the party also needs a strong leader in view of the national elections. The fact also remains that the Congress would be reduced to fourth position in Maharashtra if Rane left party. No other leader in Congress has a mass base like Rane. He can hurt the party in polls, said a senior Congress leader.
When a state minister was asked if the recent reshuffle has sealed Rane’s comeback, the minister ruled out such a possibility, adding that Rane could easily return into the Cabinet if he yields to the party’s high command.
