The Congress announced its first list of 48 candidates for the coming Maharashtra election this evening - a day after the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi announced 85-85-85 seat share formula. The party has retained 25 sitting MLAs in the first list, which comprised all the confirmed, undisputed seats.
The party's state chief Nana Patole is contesting from Sakoli, Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat from Sangamner, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar from Bramhapuri, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan from Karad South and CWC Member and Regional Working President Naseem Khan from Chandivali.
The Congress has been locked into some tough bargaining with ally Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena UBT for weeks, confident that it would manage the maximum victories after its vastly improved performance in the Lok Sabha election.
The party had been demanding 125 of the state's 288 assembly seats, while Sena had its counter-offer of 100 seats. The Sena also wanted 100 seats and had suggested that 88 seats be left for Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).
But with time running out, Mr Pawar had intervened and after multiple sessions of discussions with both partners, had devised the 85-85-85 formula.
The parties have said they would offer the rest to smaller partners and if there's any seat left, would divide it up between themselves.
Addressing a press conference in the evening, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut said a consensus has been reached on 270 of the 288 seats.
"We will include the Samajwadi Party, PWP, CPI(M), CPI and AAP. Discussions are still on for the remaining seats. We have amicably arrived at a consensus on 270 seats. The MVA stands united to defeat the Mahayuti government," Mr Raut was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India..
Elections for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20, and votes will be counted on November 23. The term of the current assembly will end on November 26.