Mumbai: Rift seems to be widening between the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Congress leadership in Maharashtra over seat-sharing. Sanjay Nirupam on Saturday, March 30, said that the grand old Congress party should not allow itself to be arm-twisted by the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit for the seats in Mumbai.

He claimed that the Shiv Sena-led by Uddhav Thackeray is not in position to win a single seat in Maharashtra without Congress' support. Nirupam also said that Sena was upset when Congress party proposed friendly fight on some seats.  "Concrete arrangements have been made to oust Congress from Maharashtra," said Sanjay Nirupam hinting at the Uddhav Sena. 

"The Congress should not come under the threat of Shiv Sena (UBT) as the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is not capable of winning any seat without Congress support." "Shiv Sena (UBT) arm-twisted the Congress to take five of the six seats in Mumbai. But the Congress should not allow itself to be arm-twisted like this. This action is against the Congress and it's a ploy to finish off the party in the city," the former Mumbai Congress chief said. 

Ready For Friendly Fight: Nirupam 

He said if the Congress is considering friendly fights in the disputed constituencies, he was ready for it. Congress leader Naseem Khan's said that party's state unit has sent a proposal to its central leadership seeking permission to have friendly fights in the six seats in Mumbai. "Congress should go for friendly fights in Sangli, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai South-Central and Bhiwandi," Nirupam said.

He reiterated his stand of giving a week's time to his party's leadership, following which he will take a decision on his future course of action (on contesting the Mumbai North-West seat).

Tussle in Maha Vikas Aghadi

The tussle began after Shiv Sena (UBT) announced 17 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra including Mumbai North-West seat from where Nirupam wished to contest. Thackeray-led party's move triggered unease among the other two Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies - Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) - as the three parties are yet to finalise the seat-sharing deal for the Lok Sabha polls, which will be held in five phases in Maharashtra starting April 19.