The ruling BJP may contest at least 32 Lok Sabha seats in the forthcoming elections in Maharashtra, leaving the remaining 16 seats to its alliance partners Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was on a two-day visit to the city, is understood to have agreed to allocate collectively 16 seats to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Shah, who held one round of talks with Shinde and Ajit Pawar at the State-run Sahyadri guest on Tuesday night, met them once again at the Jio world Centre on Wednesday. NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare were also present at Wednesday’s meeting.
While the Shinde-led Shiv Sena had sought at least 13 seats, the Ajit Pawar-headed NCP had demanded as many as 10 seats. However, Shah made it clear to them that the BJP could not allocate more than 16 seats to the two parties.
Between the two ruling alliance partners, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena may get “nine to 10 seats”, while the NCP (AP) will have to remain content with the remaining “6 to 7” seats.
“Maha-Yuti, as the BJP-led ruling alliance called in the State, is likely to finalise its seat-sharing arrangement by either the end of this week or early next week.
Of the seats allocated to the NCP, the BJP has set aside the prestigious Baramati seat to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar. Sunetra will be taking on rival NCP leader and three-time MP Supriya Sule, who is the daughter of Sharad Pawar.
Similarly, the BJP has allocated Raigad seat in coastal Konkan region for the NCP. State NCP (AP) chief Sunil Tatkare may himself contest Raigad seat in coastal Konkan region.
There has been a delay in the formalisation of Lok Sabha seat-sharing arrangement in Maharashtra. The BJP announced its first list of 19 candidates on Saturday. However, it did not announce its candidates for Maharashtra, as the party had not formalised its seat tie-up with its alliance partners — Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (AP).
The State BJP leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis, wanted Shah to intervene and firm up the seat-sharing arrangement with the Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar BJP.
During his two rounds of talks, Shinde hammered out a seat-sharing deal with the Shinde Sena and NCP (AP) on Tuesday night and Monday morning.
