Pune: The ongoing tussle for assembly seats within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has taken another turn as Sushma Andhare, a leader of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), declared that the Hadapsar Assembly constituency has been allotted to their faction.

Former MLA Mahadev Babar has been officially named as the candidate for the upcoming assembly elections from this seat, claimed Andhare.

This announcement comes amidst the backdrop of intense negotiations between the MVA partners—Shiv Sena (UBT), the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Congress—over seat-sharing arrangements in Pune’s eight assembly constituencies.

Each party is vying to secure a larger share of these influential seats, which include Hadapsar, Parvati, Wadgaon Sheri, Kothrud, and Khadakwasla.

The Hadapsar Assembly constituency is currently held by NCP MLA Chetan Tupe, who is aligned with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party.

Prashant Jagtap, the Pune city president of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, has expressed his interest in contesting from Hadapsar, making the seat a hotly contested one within the MVA. Despite this, Shiv Sena UBT has asserted its claim over the constituency.

Sushma Andhare’s declaration that the seat has been allocated to the Shiv Sena UBT faction and that Mahadev Babar will be their candidate from Hadapsar has intensified the internal competition.

In a press conference held in Pune, Sushma Andhare downplayed any rifts within the MVA, stating that consensus had been reached on almost all constituencies.

“The Hadapsar seat has been cleared for Shiv Sena UBT. Discussions are only ongoing for 15 to 18 remaining seats, including important constituencies such as Kolaba and Sewri in Mumbai, Shrigonda or Parner, Mukhed, Tuljapur,” she said.