Nagpur, 25 Oct

(HS): Maha-Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has worked out a new equal seat-sharing formula by the major alliance partners – Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress

Party (Sharad Pawar), and Indian National Congress. The minor alliance partners would get 18 seats out of 288.

The new formula

was announced by senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat in Delhi on Friday.

On Wednesday, MVA

had announced the seat-sharing formula of 85 each. Discussion on the remaining

seats was in progress. The new formula of 90 seats each has been worked out on

Friday. The claim of Congress over 100 seats is being keenly watched, as many

aspirants are likely to rebel and contest as independent candidates.

MVA has

announced candidates for 158 seats – Shiv Sena (UBT) – 65, NCP (SP) – 45, and

Congress – 48. The names of candidates for the remaining seats are likely to be

announced on Saturday.

The last date

for filing nomination papers is October 29. The candidates will be left with

only 20 days for campaigning, which would end two days before the date of

polling, November 20.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar