Exchange of seats likely among MVA allies: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday indicated the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies could swap some seats among themselves, a day after the opposition bloc in Maharashtra announced a formula of 85 seats to each of the three major parties.
Raut also said there could be "some corrections" in the list of candidates announced by his party on Wednesday.
After days of stalemate, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), on Wednesday announced contesting 85 seats each for polls to the 288-member state assembly even as deliberations to seal a final pact were still underway.
The three allies were discussing the sharing of the remaining 33 seats among themselves and smaller parties.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday released its first list of 65 candidates for the state assembly polls.
"There can be an exchange of seats," Raut on Thursday said, stressing merit and winnability will be the key factors in selecting a candidate.
"There can be switching of seats in one or two places. In some places, candidates have to be changed at the last minute. I don't think anything drastic can happen beyond this," Raut said.
But the three parties have agreed to 85-85-85 (formula), he said, adding the decision on rest of the seats will be taken by Thursday evening.
The Rajya Sabha member also indicated his party could contest 100 seats.
"We have come close to scoring a century. We will hit two-three sixers. We scored 85 and the match is still on. We will score the remaining runs," Raut said drawing a parallel with a cricket match.
The state assembly elections are scheduled on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.
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Meerut youth allegedly assaulted, family claims forced chanting of Jai Shri Ram slogans
Meerut :A young man from Sofipur village, Meerut, was reportedly assaulted, stripped, and coerced to chant religious slogans, according to allegations made by his family on Monday. The incident occurred on Saturday evening as the victim, Gulfam, was returning home from practice at a private shooting range in Mangal Pandey Nagar, said his father, Aftab.
Aftab claimed that Gulfam was intercepted by three individuals who took him to Victoria Park. There, the assailants allegedly beat him, stripped him, and demanded that he chant "Jai Shri Ram." Gulfam’s family also alleged that the attackers stole his mobile phone and left him unconscious at the scene.
However, local police have rejected the claims of stripping and forced chanting, suggesting that the incident appears to be linked to personal enmity. "There is no mention of any forced chanting in the FIR. It seems to be a case of enmity between local youths," stated Mahavir Singh, Station House Officer (SHO) of Civil Lines Police Station.
Based on Aftab’s complaint, an FIR was filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 351(2) for criminal intimidation, 352 for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace, and 324 for mischief. Civil Lines Circle Officer, Abhishek Tiwari, confirmed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the suspects involved.
Gulfam, who is preparing for a national shooting competition, is currently undergoing medical treatment at a private hospital. His family continues to maintain that the attack was religiously motivated, though the authorities have yet to substantiate these specific claims.
