The Shiv Sena (UBT), a partner in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), on Wednesday released its first list of 17 candidates, which had no female candidates, for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The announcement sparked strong criticism from their coalition partner, the Congress, for declaring candidates for two seats — Sangli and Mumbai South-Central — despite ongoing talks to finalise the seat-sharing formula in the crucial western State. Maharashtra sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, after Uttar Pradesh with 80 seats. The State will vote in five phases starting from April 19.
The grand old party’s leaders said that the MVA partners must stick to ‘coalition dharma’ and asked the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena to reconsider its decision. “Announcing candidates while discussions are still on is an insult to ‘Aghadi dharma’,” Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Vijay Wadettiwar said. Mr. Thorat said their party was firm on contesting from Sangli, Bhiwandi, and Mumbai’s South-Central.
