The old partnership has been renewed in Maharashtra. The Congress and NCP have decided to contest 125 seats each of the 288 in the ensuing State Assembly elections. The two have left 38 seats for their allies, but a final decision of who gets which seat and which candidates need to be put will need to be worked out. Plus, the combine will also need to chalk out seat allotment to each of their allies — Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Peasants’ and Workers’ Party and the Left parties. At the same time, attempts are also being made to rope in the SP and the BSP into the alliance. The question of adding Raj Thackeray-led MNS in the Opposition alliance is yet to be taken up, though the NCP is said to be keen.

However, the Congress fears it may hurt its support base among North Indian voters and thus it feels MNS should contest independently to engineer a “split” in Shiv Sena’s Marathi vote bank in cities. Though there are ‘ifs and buts’, one thing is certain that the Congress and NCP realised not to repeat the mistake of Assembly polls 2014, where the two fought separately. And while one hurdle is crossed, the two will need to be prepared for another one—how many of their flock are going to cross over for greener pastures.