With stalemate continuing over seat-sharing in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, Shiv Sena-UBT Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has suggested that parties should make a few sacrifices for the betterment of Maharashtra. Giving an example of the Lok Sabha polls where Congress contested more seats, Raut said that this election is about removing a ‘corrupt’ government from Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, “We have been in politics for years, every party feels that their workers should be made candidates…Everyone has the right to speak about their role but when it comes to seat sharing, everyone has to make a few sacrifices and take a step back.”

When asked if Congress is ready to sacrifice and give up a few seats to other allies in Maha Vikas Aghadi, Raut says, “This is not about sacrifice, this is about national interest and Maharashtra’s interest…We had indeed shown big-heartedness (during seat sharing for Lok Sabha elections) because we had to defeat enemies of the Constitution. Today, we have to remove from power, a corrupt Government in Maharashtra.”

Raut said that the seat-sharing talks will be finalised by this evening. The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena-UBT are part of Maha Vikash Aghadi. The assembly elections for the 288 seats will take place on November 20 and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

The Congress is keen on contesting around 110 seats while the Sena-UBT is of the view that all three major partners should contest an equal number of seats or at least below 100 to accommodate smaller allies like the Samajwadi Party, Left parties, and the Peasants and Workers Party.