Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is speculated to get 13 seats, while Ajit Pawar faction of NCP will get six seats in the seat-sharing formula that is being worked out among National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners in Maharashtra.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to field candidates on 29 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, according to a report in Republic news channel. Another report, however, suggested that the BJP is expected to contest elections on more than 32 seats in the state.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2024: What’s happening at BJP, NDA seat-sharing talks?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a late-night meeting with the leader of the alliance partners during his Maharashtra visit on Tuesday, amid reports of Shinde-led Sena and NCP pushing for a higher number of seats. According to sources, the meeting was positive, and a breakthrough is expected soon.
Tuesday’s meeting started late at night, after 10 pm, in which Amit Shah had a discussion with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the presence of BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Later, Shah had a one-on-one meeting with Chief Minister Shinde.
Maharashtra sends 48 members to Lok Sabha and is considered the most crucial state for Lok Sabha polls, after Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2024 : Seat-sharing deal finalised by Maharashtra allies, announcement soon: Sanjay Raut
The state assumes significance considering the BJP’s target of 370 seats and taking the NDA to the 400-mark.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier asserted that the BJP would contest 26 out of 48 seats in the state. He later said that a seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha 2024 elections would be decided after holding discussions with allies.
The BJP and Shiv Sena (undivided) had contested 41 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the 2019 elections and won 23 and 18, respectively. Currently in power in Maharastra, the Mahayuti Alliance comprises Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction).
The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in April-May this year. The BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been in power at the Centre for the past 10 years, and the party is seeking a record third successive term in office.
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Published: 06 Mar 2024, 01:46 PM IST