Ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s rally that the Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders are expected to attend at Shivaji Park on March 17, the Opposition bloc in Maharashtra was scheduled to finalise the seat-sharing on Friday night. However, this meeting was to be held without the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the VBA was offered four seats and it was up to Prakash Ambedkar to take it or leave it. “We have completed the formula. There is no dispute,” he said. 

VBA`s participation in the Opposition was considered a great strength for the anti-BJP forces, but Ambedkar`s statements questioning the MVA talks and VBA’s unreasonable demand for seats have added to the MVA’s reluctance. Ambedkar wrote to the Congress president offering his alliance, calling out MVA leaders for delaying the seat-sharing formula. His offer hasn`t yielded any response.