The Mumbai Congress is preparing to take the issue of the Byculla and Versova assembly constituencies to the party’s high command in Delhi if seat-sharing negotiations with their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies do not go in their favor. Both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress have staked claims to these two critical seats. According to a Congress leader, the party recognizes that it cannot demand constituencies like Worli and Sewri, as they are strongholds of Shiv Sena (UBT), and winning in BJP-dominated areas like Malabar Hill is challenging.
The leader emphasized that losing Byculla would significantly restrict Congress’s influence in South Mumbai, reducing them to only two constituencies—Mumbadevi and Colaba. In Versova, there is significant interest within the party, with 20 potential candidates, including former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey, expressing their desire to contest.
Congress spokesperson Nazimuddin Rayeen hinted that, depending on how seat-sharing talks progress, the party may need to escalate the matter to the national leadership in Delhi to resolve the situation.
