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JD-SP fight as UF finalises 23 seats

The Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party continued to be at loggerheads over the Bombay south-central constituency even as the United Front finalised its first list, clearing 23 nominations for the general election in Maharashtra.

The two parties also have serious differences over the Aurangabad seat, according to SP city unit general secretary Hussain Dalwai.

The seat allocations announced on Wednesday by Janata Dal spokesman and coordinator Kapil Patil after the meeting of the constituent parties leaves two of the 23 seats to the Republican Party of India (Khobragade) and the Bharatiya Panthers. They have been given Chimur and Buldhana constituencies respectively in Vidarbha.

The Janata Dal intends to contest 11 seats, including the disputed Aurangabad besides Hingoli, Pandharpur and Washim. It has got the lion's share of seven seats in the the first list, followed by the Peasants and Workers Party (five), the Communist Party of India (four), the Communist Party of India-Marxist ( two) and the Samajwadi Party (three).

Dalwai said the SP would not give up its claim on the Bombay south-central constituency. The Dal plans to give it to Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat leader Sharad Rao. Contending that the Dal had no base in the constituency, the SP insists on the seat being left to it.

In the 1996 election, SP candidate, trade unionist Datta Samant had emerged runner up in his fight against the Shiv Sena's Mohan Rawale.

UNI

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