"Even today Shiv Sena is number one": Sanjay Raut reiterates his party's stand on 23 Lok Sabha seats

MUMBAI: Ahead of Lok Sabha polls in 2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Friday said that the party has been contesting on 23 seats in the past and there would be no change in the seat-sharing ratio in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking further on seat sharing in the INDIA alliance, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, "This is Maharashtra and Shiv Sena is the biggest party here. Congress is a national party. Uddhav Thackeray is having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal. We have always said that Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 seats in the Lok Sabha elections including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and that will be firm."

He said that in the meeting it was decided that further decisions on seats won by Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP would be taken later, adding that the Congress is an important ally and discussion will be held to decide the seat sharing ratio.

"During our (INDIA alliance) meeting, we decided that discussions will be done later on the seats that we have won. Congress did not win a seat in Maharashtra so they have to start from zero (seats) but Congress is an important ally for us in MVA. We will work together," he added.

Even today Shiv Sena (Led by Uddhav Thackeray) is the number one party in Maharashtra, he asserted.

"People are in full support of Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar. On the issue of seat sharing, there is no conflict among MVA. Shiv Sena has always been fighting on 23 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. We are having positive discussions with the decision-making leaders of Congress regarding seat sharing. On the seat-sharing we will talk with the Congress leaders only in Delhi and not Maharashtra local leaders," he added.