It is speculated that the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will get 13 seats while the NCP's Ajit Pawar faction will get six seats in the seat-sharing formula being worked out among the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners ) in Maharashtra.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to field candidates in 29 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, according to a report in Republic news channel. However, another report suggested that the BJP is expected to contest elections to over 32 seats in the state.
Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: What will happen in BJP and NDA seat-sharing talks?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with the leader of the alliance partners late on Tuesday evening during his visit to Maharashtra, amid reports that Shinde-led Sena and NCP were 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 in the evening, after 10 pm, during 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 elections 2024: Seat-sharing deal finalized by Maharashtra allies, announcement soon: Sanjay Raut
The state becomes significant given the BJP's target of 370 seats and the NDA's raising it to the 400 mark.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier claimed that the BJP would contest 26 of the 48 seats in the state. He later said that a seat-sharing formula would be decided for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after talks with allies.
The BJP and Shiv Sena (undivided) had contested 41 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the 2019 elections, winning 23 and 18 respectively. The Mahayuti Alliance, which is currently in power in Maharastra, consists of Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction).
The Lok Sabha elections are expected to take place in April-May this year. The BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been in power at the Center for the past decade and the party is seeking a record third consecutive term in office.
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Published: Mar 6, 2024 1:46 PM IST