The Congress held preliminary talks for seat-sharing in upcoming Lok Sabha elections with the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, and Samajwadi Party for Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad were present. The Congress is seeking 26 seats in Maharashtra, while the Shiv Sena is demanding 23 seats. The seat-sharing discussions will continue with top leaders of the three parties, including Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray.