NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil meets Congress` Prithviraj Chavan in Satara

A head of upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is trying to resolve the deadlock over Sangli and two other Lok Sabha constituencies, hours after Maharashtra NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil met him in Karad, reported news agency PTI.

The closed-door meeting assumes significance after sitting NCP (SP) MP from Satara, Shrinivas Patil, declined to contest owing to health issues, reported PTI.

Chavan, the MLA from the Karad South constituency, said since the Satara Lok Sabha constituency comes under NCP (SP) quota, Sharad Pawar will decide the candidate.

Talking to reporters in Karad, Chavan refused to speak on the issue of a proposal by some Congress leaders to have friendly fights in seats under dispute with MVA allies, reported PTI.

"Don`t talk about friendly fights," he said, reported PTI.

Queried on what transpired at the meeting between him and Jayant Patil, Chavan said efforts are on to provide a suitable and strong candidate in Satara.

"What is discussed closed door is not spoken on a public platform," he said, reported PTI.

When asked whether his name is being considered for the Satara contest, the former Maharashtra chief minister said the constituency is part of the NCP (SP) quota and Sharad Pawar will decide the candidate, reported PTI.

Notably, Chavan represented Satara in Parliament in the 1990s. He was defeated by Shrinivas Patil in 1999 after Sharad Pawar walked out of the Congress and formed the Nationalist Congress Party.

Since then NCP (undivided) has fielded candidates from Satara.

Meanwhile, members of the BJP core committee in Maharashtra on Sunday held a meeting with in-charges of clusters to take stock of all 48 constituencies in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections 2024, reported PTI.

Notably, the BJP-led NDA has set the target of winning more than 45 seats in the state.

The BJP has divided all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies into 16 clusters and entrusted senior leaders with the responsibility of managing them. They are tasked with focusing on unique issues and identifying challenges in each constituency.

BJP`s Maharashtra in-charge and Rajya Sabha member Dinesh Sharma, who is a former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, also attended the meeting at the party office in south Mumbai, reported PTI.