Amit Shah meets Shinde, Fadnavis, Ajit, more fire-fighting expected

Mumbai: Amid differences between the partners of the ruling Maha Yuti in Maharashtra, BJP’s trouble-shooter and Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah did the fire-fighting job in Mumbai and had back-to-back meetings with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde,Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

However, a few rounds of intra-party and inter-party meetings are expected in the next two days, before the final-formula is announced.

Around the weekend, the BJP is likely to announce the second all-India list of candidates and Maharashtra could figure in the list.

The BJP is expected to contest the lion’s share of 32 seats, however, adjusting the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Pawar-led NCP, seems to be a difficult task given the fact that the state has 48 seats.

In 2019, the BJP contested 25 seats and bagged 23 while undivided Shiv Sena contested 23 and got 18.

On the other hand, the Congress had contested 25 seats and won one seat while the undivided NCP contested 19 seats and won four.

As of now Shinde, who is the chief leader of Shiv Sena, commands a strength of 13 MPs, however, has insisted on contesting 22 seats, which the BJP has refused to concede. Pawar's party has asked for around 10 seats.

Pawar commands a strength of just one Lok Sabha MP, his close aide and state President Sunil Tatkare.

Amid the seat-sharing talks, state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said: “Give the NCP the same number of seats as Shiv Sena.”

According to sources, all the 48 seats were discussed one by one and the winnability-factor also.

“With the BJP’s Mission 400 in mind, the saffron party would not take any chances. It is also being worked out whether the Shiv Sena and NCP can be offered some more seats during the Vidhan Sabha polls,” informed sources said.