Congress allots Sangli LS seat in Maharashtra to ally SSS

Press Trust of India  |  Mumbai 

The opposition in has agreed to allot the seat to its ally Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS).

and aregrandsons of former late Vasantdada Patil.

The and earlier decidedto give one seat each from their respective quotas to SSS, led by Raju Shetti.

Accordingly, Hathkanangale was given from the NCP's quota and from the Congress' quota.

Shetti will contest the next month's election from Hathkanangale.

Pratik Patil, a former Union minister, resigned from the Congress last week in protest against the Sangli seat being given to the SSS, a party source said.

He was being pressurised by a section of the BJP to contest as an Independent against sitting BJP Sanjay Kaka Patil, the source alleged.

He was defeated by in the 2014 It was the first defeat of the Congress in the constituency since 1962.

While quitting the Congress last week, made it clear he would neither contest the election nor join the BJP.

On Saturday, the gave Raver Lok Sabha seat in the state from its quota to the Congress.

Now, the Congress will contest total 25 seats, NCP-19 and SSS-2.

Independent MLA Ravi Rana's local outfit Yuva Swabhiman Party will contest the Amravati seat (from quota) while the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi led by will field its candidate in Palghar seat (from Congress' quota).

Lok Sabha elections to total 48 seats in will be held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29 and the results will be declared on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sun, March 31 2019. 13:00 IST