The two allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state’s three-party administration are probably going to accept fewer seats than what they had demanded during the seat-sharing discussions that Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended on Tuesday and Wednesday in Mumbai.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, is predicted to win four seats in Maharashtra, while the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena is predicted to win ten to eleven seats. The BJP wants 34 seats.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his two deputies, Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, as well as other important figures from the three parties, attended the meetings at Sahyadri Guest House in Malabar Hill and Jio World Garden in BKC. Leaders of the NCP and Shiv Sena also had separate discussions with Shah.
According to reports, Amit Shah advised the leaders of the allies to go with the candidates’ merit calculations, which might result in victories. Shah informed leaders of the Shiv Sena and NCP that if the BJP emblem is used to win as many seats as possible, the ruling alliance will have a greater chance of winning. Survey findings were presented to evaluate the likelihood of incumbent Sena and NCP MPs winning. BJP officials asserted that if incumbent Members of Parliament ran on the lotus electoral symbol, their chances of winning would increase.
The BJP is adamant about running for 33–34 seats, and some of its current MPs and leaders from allies are predicted to run. “Krupal Tumane from Ramtek is the Shinde faction’s current MP, but he may be fielded as a BJP candidate,” stated a senior BJP leader. Rahul Shewale, the Shinde faction’s MP for South Central Mumbai, can also choose lotus to increase his chances of winning. Dharmaraobaba Atram of the NCP might be our choice from Gadchiroli.
Shinde demanded during the meeting that the 13 current Members of Parliament who left the party in June 2022 be protected. He was informed that certain candidates with a chance of winning will be put forward on BJP tickets.
The BJP leader, who wished to remain anonymous, predicted that additional MPs from the Shinde camp would probably defect to the BJP as the election date draws closer. The party has also instructed its allies to replace a few of the incumbent Members of Parliament who did not perform well or who were anti-incumbency.
Leaders of the allies have not been favourable to the BJP’s proposal. “BJP will get the biggest seat share,” stated Chhagan Bhujbal, the head of the NCP. We demand that the Shiv Sena be granted an equal number of seats. However, the leaders of the three parties will reach a mutually agreeable final resolution.
“The decision on seat-sharing will be taken on the merit of a candidate,” stated BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar. It will be carried out peacefully following a discussion with alliance members. Bhujbal’s response to the meeting’s conclusion was “maybe his personal opinion.”
Important BJP figures convened in Delhi following the Mumbai meeting to decide the numbers and candidates. Union minister Raosaheb Danve, state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were present. Party leaders stated that later this week, a few candidates from Maharashtra are probably going to be revealed in the BJP’s second list.
“The claim that our supporters in Maharashtra are receiving fewer seats is untrue. They’ll receive a fair number of seats, according to Fadnavis.