MVA parties may reunite for ZP polls in Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) are on the cusp of forming an alliance for the upcoming Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. VBA is also expected to join them.Congress district President Kiran Patil Dongaokar said all four parties would contest the ZP polls for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar together, except in Kannad taluka."It was a consensus among MVA partners to join hands for the ZP polls. There were mixed opinions on giving entry to VBA, but it is also with us," he said. As per the tentative seat-sharing agreement, Sena (UBT) was likely to contest 27 seats, followed by Congress (19), VBA (4) and NCP (SP) (4).According to political observers, the renewed bonhomie between MVA partners was observed in the ZP polls in the wake of the debacle in municipal corporation polls. It was also attributed to the fact BJP and Shiv Sena had a pre-poll alliance for the ZP election in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.As per the official announcement, BJP was going to contest 27 seats, while Sena was going to contest 25 seats, with no alliance made in Sillod taluka. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ZP has 63 seats, along with 126 seats for Panchayat Samitis. By Tuesday, over 300 nominations were received, against the sale of over 3,000 forms. Wednesday marked the last day for filing nominations, but the final figures could not be ascertained until evening.Polling for the General Elections to the ZP and 126 seats of Panchayat Samitis in Sambhajinagar is scheduled for Feb 5.