Shiv Sena (UBT) announced candidate for Sangli after high level deliberations, says Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said his party decided to field wrestler Chandrahar Patil from Sangli for the Lok Sabha polls after seat sharing deliberations with allies at a higher level.

The Congress, an ally of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, had also claimed the seat and wanted to give the ticket to Vishal Patil.

The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, which make up the Maha Vikas Aghadi, took part in the seat sharing process and such differences are bound to come up on one or two seats, Raut said.

He pointed out that the Shiv Sena (UBT) had ceded Kolhapur to the Congress despite the sitting MP being from his party.

''We also gave Ramtek and Amravati seats to the Congress. As far as Sangli is concerned, our workers from western Maharashtra wanted to contest the seat. So we decided to exchange the Kolhapur seat with Congress. The Sena announced its candidate after seat-sharing deliberations at a higher level,'' Raut said.

''Whatever the sentiments of Congress workers, it will calm down in a couple of days. The role of Vishwajeet Kadam during the formation of MVA was crucial. In tomorrow's politics, Vishal Patil will also get a key role, and Shiv Sena will take a lead for that. We have sent a proposal regarding the same to Delhi Congress,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Kadam said leaders of the Congress and other MVA constituents must collectively clarify their stand on the Sangli seat issue.

''Sangli district is a stronghold of Congress. It is my stand that Congress must contest from Sangli. I request Uddhav Thackeray to hold discussions with the Congress over Sangli and resolve the issue,'' he told reporters Kadam said he has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over the Sangli seat issue.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)