Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule recently announced that the seat-sharing discussions among the Mahayuti alliance parties for the upcoming Assembly polls will be finalized within the next 10 days. The focus will be on the candidates’ winnability rather than the number of seats each party contests. Bawankule emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong alliance to ensure the continuation of welfare schemes in the state.
Guidelines have been issued to BJP members to refrain from making statements that could potentially create discord within the alliance. Bawankule warned that any violations of these directives would result in strict disciplinary action from the party. The alliance includes Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s National Congress Party (NCP).
Over the weekend, CM Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, engaged in discussions regarding seat-sharing in Nagpur. The final seat-sharing formula is expected to be decided after a few more meetings, with sources indicating that a consensus has already been reached for 173 seats, with BJP securing the largest share, followed by Shiv Sena and NCP.
The remaining 115 seats are anticipated to be finalized in an upcoming meeting between Bawankule, Shinde, and senior NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel. The discussions are crucial as the tenure of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is set to end in November, with elections to the 288-member Assembly expected to take place later this year.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has yet to announce the dates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections. While elections in Haryana and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled from September 18 to October 1, the polls in Maharashtra remain pending. CEC Rajiv Kumar cited the high demand for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir as the primary reason for the delay in holding elections in Maharashtra.
In conclusion, the seat-sharing talks among the Mahayuti alliance parties in Maharashtra are set to conclude within the next 10 days, with a focus on the winnability of candidates rather than the number of seats contested. The alliance aims to maintain a strong partnership to ensure the welfare and development of the state. Stay tuned for further updates on the upcoming Assembly polls in Maharashtra.
