NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil meets Congress's Prithviraj Chavan in Satara

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi is trying to resolve the deadlock over Sangli and two other Lok Sabha constituencies, hours after Maharashtra NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil met him in Karad.

The closed-door meeting assumes significance after sitting NCP (SP) MP from Satara, Shrinivas Patil, declined to contest owing to health issues.

Chavan, the MLA from the Karad South constituency, said since the Satara Lok Sabha constituency comes under NCP (SP) quota, Sharad Pawar will decide the candidate.

Talking to reporters in Karad, Chavan refused to speak on the issue of a proposal by some Congress leaders to have friendly fights in seats under dispute with MVA allies.

"Don't talk about friendly fights," he said.

Queried on what transpired at the meeting between him and Jayant Patil, Chavan said efforts are on to provide a suitable and strong candidate in Satara.

"What is discussed closed door is not spoken on a public platform," he said.

When asked whether his name is being considered for the Satara contest, the former Maharashtra chief minister said the constituency is part of the NCP (SP) quota and Sharad Pawar will decide the candidate.

Notably, Chavan represented Satara in Parliament in the 1990s. He was defeated by Shrinivas Patil in 1999 after Sharad Pawar walked out of the Congress and formed the Nationalist Congress Party.

Since then NCP (undivided) has fielded candidates from Satara.