'If we are not given five seats...': Samajwadi Party's Abu Azmi warns MVA ahead of Maharashtra polls

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 26 (ANI): Amid the ongoing tussle over seat sharing for Maharashtra Assembly Elections, Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra Chief Abu Azmi issued a stern warning to the Maha Vikas Aghadi, saying that if the party is not given five seats, it will be compelled to announce candidates on as many as 25 seats.
Notably, the Samajwadi Party is part of the MVA alliance, which also includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP).
Speaking to ANI, Azmi said the Samajwadi Party doesn't want the votes to be divided, adding that it is not good to have internal differences within the alliance.
"The seats should have been divided before the elections as the Maha Vikas Aghadi was already formed. The INDIA Alliance is already formed; then what is the confusion? It is not good to have internal differences. The Samajwadi Party is also in the alliance but there is no discussion on the seats. Sharad Pawar has told me that by tomorrow he will tell me what to do," he said.
"I have announced five seats. They should give these five seats to me. I will wait because I don't want votes to be divided. We don't want to create a rift in the MVA for the sake of votes. If they do not include us, then I will announce candidates for 25 seats. The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are discussing certain seats every day but nothing is finalised," SP leader Abu Azmi said.
Earlier on Friday, After the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting of Congress, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal asserted that there are differences in the alliance, but Maha Vikas Aghadi will settle them and fight the Maharashtra Assembly elections together to bring back Maharashtra to its old glory.
"In a democratic set-up, a little bit of difference will be there, you have to understand that. But we have a common goal to bring back Maharashtra to its old glory. Maha Vikas Aghadi will fight and win the election. There are differences and we will settle them," Venugopal told ANI in the national capital.
In a post on X, the Congress general secretary said that MVA is all set to sweep the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra.
"Under the leadership of INC President Mallikarjun Kharge ji and LOP Rahul Gandhi ji, joined the CEC Meeting for Maharashtra. We, the MVA, are all set to sweep the upcoming assembly elections!" Venugopal posted on X.
Earlier on October 17, the Samajwadi party demanded 12 seats from the alliance.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. (ANI)