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The upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections are shaping up to be a complex and competitive battle, with the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and the NCP, working to solidify their electoral strategy. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, representing the NCP, recently unveiled the seat-sharing formula for the alliance, offering insights into the potential dynamics of the upcoming polls.
According to Pawar, the Mahayuti partners have decided to stick to their respective seat allocations from the 2019 assembly elections. This means the BJP, which secured 105 seats in 2019, will contest the same number of seats in the upcoming elections. The BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and the NCP collectively won approximately 200 seats in 2019, and they intend to maintain their hold on these seats. The remaining 288 seats will be the subject of negotiations between the parties, as per Pawar.
This proposed seat-sharing arrangement has already sparked discussions within the alliance and beyond. Notably, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena had reportedly requested 107 seats out of the total 288, submitting a detailed proposal to the BJP high command. Their intention is to directly challenge Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, seeking a maximum number of seats in key areas like Mumbai, Thane, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The BJP appears to favor this direct competition between the two Shiv Sena factions, potentially even exchanging seats with Shinde's faction to facilitate this head-to-head contest.
The BJP, with an initial goal of contesting 160 seats, might have to settle for 140-150 seats as a result of these negotiations. Shinde's Shiv Sena, emerging as the second largest beneficiary of this arrangement, is projected to fight around 80 seats. The NCP, under Ajit Pawar, is anticipated to contest approximately 55 seats, while three seats have been reserved for smaller allies. The NCP's initial demand for 80-90 seats, submitted to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in July, indicates a shift in their strategy, potentially influenced by internal dynamics and alliance negotiations.
While this proposed seat-sharing formula offers a glimpse into the Mahayuti's strategy, the final distribution of seats is subject to further negotiations and potential adjustments. The upcoming elections are expected to be fiercely contested, with each party striving for electoral success. The outcome of these negotiations and the subsequent campaigning will likely determine the future political landscape of Maharashtra.
Source: 'BJP will contest...': NCP's Ajit Pawar reveals seat-sharing formula for Mahayuti