Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: Shinde promises decision on seat-sharing soon after meeting Shah again

The ruling Mahayuti partners -- Shiv Sena led by Shinde, BJP and the Ajit Pawar-headed NCP -- have been holding discussions on seat-sharing for the state Assembly polls, which are likely to be held in November.

Mumbai: With weeks away from the announcement of Maharashtra Assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well as Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to arrive at an amicable solution on the seat-sharing of the Maha Yuti ruling alliance. 

The meeting was held at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar during Shah’s two-day whirlwind tour of Maharashtra, where polls for the 288-seat Assembly are expected by mid-November.

“The meeting was positive and a decision will be taken soon. Talks are moving ahead positively with coordination (among the allies),” said Shinde, the chief leader of Shiv Sena after the meeting.

This is the second closed-door meeting of Shah with the trio, Shinde-Fadnavis-Pawar , after the last meeting when he had visited Mumbai during the Ganesh festival.

During the Ganeshotsav, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister and BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda too had come to Mumbai and held deliberations on seat-sharing.

Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the BJP’s Maharashtra election in-charge and co in-charge, respectively, too had made regular visits to Mumbai and held talks with the party’s state leadership.

In the outgoing Assembly, the BJP is the single-largest party with 103 MLAs, followed by Shiv Sena 40, NCP 41, Congress 40, Shiv Sena (UBT) 15, NCP (SP) 13 and others 29. Some seats are vacant.

In the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP and Maha Yuti had suffered a setback at the hands of opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Of the 17 seats of NDA, BJP won 9 after contesting 28 seats, Shiv Sena 7 (15) and NCP 1 (4).

Of the 30 seats of MVA, Congress got 13 seats after contesting 27 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 9 (21) and NCP (SP) 8 (10) and they have support of one Independent MP.

The BJP state leadership and the core-committee has refused to settle anything below 150 seats while they have pitched for 170 seats.

The Shiv Sena has pitched for 100 to 110 seats while the NCP demands 70 to 80 seats.