Dhule, Jan 27 (IANS): AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala nominated three top Maharashtra Congress leaders to hammer out a seat-sharing formula with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Prakash Ambedkar, here on Saturday.

They are, state Congress President Nana Patole, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

The trio of Patole, Thorat, Chavan has also been assigned the task of hammering out the seat-share with other like-minded Opposition parties in the state besides the VBA.

“The INDIA alliance is very strong in Maharashtra. We have all decided to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections jointly and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will ensure it bags the highest number of (total 48) seats here,” said Chennithala.

He added that the seat-share talks among the MVA allies - Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) - are progressing smoothly and the decision will be revealed soon.

Chennithala’s announcement is expected to boost the morale of the VBA which was in a sour mood earlier this week and spurned the MVA's formal invite for the seat-sharing talks, while dropping dark threats that it would contest all the 48 seats solo.

Ambedkar had even slammed Patole for playing mind-games and alleged that there was some ‘locha’ (muddle) in his brain.

However, the situation was resolved amicably after the quick intervention of NCP (SP) state President Jayant Patil and Chennithala, and the VBA has now agreed to join the MVA seat-sharing discussions next week.