Rahul Gandhi has reached Kolhapur to unveil the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Kolhapur (Maharashtra) [India], October 5: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kolhapur on Saturday to engage in several important events.
Gandhi's visit to Kolhapur is significant as it occurs before the state Assembly elections scheduled for later this year.
He is expected to participate in key events in the state, including the unveiling of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Bhagwa Chowk.
"We are excited that Rahul Gandhi will inaugurate the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur has addressed every critical issue, including reservations and inclusivity, and I am very pleased that Rahul Gandhi is visiting here," stated Kolhapur Congress President Satej Patil.
Earlier, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole announced that the opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi, will reveal details about several seats before Dussehra.
Patole remarked, "We will finalize this soon and announce several seats before Dussehra. Discussions regarding over 150 seats have taken place. Our decisions will be based on merits, and there will be clarity on the seat discussions shortly."
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut mentioned that every seat was being discussed and reviewed in the Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting, as the alliance aims to defeat the BJP in each constituency during the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.
"Leaders from both Left parties participated today. All these parties were with us in the Lok Sabha, so we discussed what we could offer them in the Assembly elections... Today marks the fourth day of discussions. Every seat is being reviewed because we need to defeat the BJP in every constituency," Raut told reporters.
The Maharashtra Assembly, which has 288 seats, will hold elections later this year. The Election Commission of India has yet to announce the election dates.
The upcoming Maharashtra elections will feature a contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, and the Maha Yuti Alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).