Maharashtra Election 2024: What Amit Shah told Devendra Fadnavis, Mahayuti leaders amid seat-sharing impasse

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to iron out issues related to seat sharing for the November 20 assembly elections in the state.

The three leaders had rushed to Delhi for the second time within a week for consultations about seat sharing of the ruling Mahayuti alliance that were stalled due to differences over certain segments claimed by both the Shiv Sena and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), is fighting against the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP's Mahayuti alliance in the November 20 polls.

Sources said Shah asked the alliance partners to work unitedly and strengthen the coalition to take on the rival MVA. Shah also advised alliance leaders Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde to ensure that no rebels contest the elections from any of the Mahayuti factions, according to reports.

Agreement on 270 seats

The ruling Mahayuti alliance partners have reached an agreement on at least 270 seats but continue to remain at loggerheads on more than 15 seats, according to sources. Both the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and the BJP are claiming some seats in Mumbai and Vidarbha, the sources said.

Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Fadnavis on Thursday said the Mahayuti has finalised distribution of 278 of the 288 assembly seats in the state.After attending a meeting Shah in New Delhi, Fadnavis said the remaining 10 seats will be finalised in the next couple of days.

"We (ruling alliance) have finalised 278 seats. The BJP's next list will probably be announced tomorrow. Our meeting in Delhi was very positive," he said.

The discussions on seat sharing would now shift to Mumbai and the formula announced shortly, news agency PTI said quoting sources.

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena has announced 45 candidates while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP declared its nominees for 38 seats in the 288-member House.

The BJP has declared its first list of 99 candidates for the November 20 elections.

The saffron party is keen to contest more than 150 seats in a bid to emerge as the single largest party in the post poll scenario. The last date for filing nominations is October 29.

The BJP suffered a severe drubbing in Maharashtra, where its tally tumbled to nine from 23 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Shiv Sena (Shinde) secured seven and the NCP (Ajit Pawar) bagged one seat. The MVA won 30 seats.

Of the 164 seats that the BJP fought in 2019 assembly polls, it won 105. It was in alliance with the undivided Sena in that assembly election.

(With PTI inputs)