Seat-Sharing Struggles in Maharashtra: Ajit’s NCP Targets 8 Lok Sabha Seats in Mahayuti Alliance – News18

The seat-sharing process for both alliances in Maharashtra is yet to be finalised. The Mahayuti alliance, currently in power, and the Mahavikas Aghadi, representing the opposition, are still in discussions but have not reached a final agreement.

Within the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, consisting of the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and NCP led by Ajit Pawar, there is a struggle to agree on a final seat-sharing formula despite being in power. The Bharatiya Janata Party has released its first list without announcing candidates from Maharashtra.

The BJP-led central government aims for a lion’s share in each state to achieve their mission of 400 seats, but the BJP state leadership thinks that by hurting alliance partners like Shiv Sena and NC, it will be difficult for them in Maharashtra to achieve the target of 45 seats out of 48.

The daily bargaining is happening in Mahayuti as it is the big test for the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Both these leaders, having defected from their original parties, now hold control over their respective parties. While they have been rewarded for joining the BJP, their performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will determine their bargaining power for the subsequent assembly elections slated to occur before the year ends.

NCP’s Strategy

According to sources within the NCP, after initially demanding 10-11 seats, the party is confident of securing at least 7-8 seats. In the last Lok Sabha elections, before the NCP split, they secured seats in Satara, Shirur, Baramati, and Raigad. Ajit Pawar is now pushing for an additional four seats in the upcoming elections, which would require compromises from BJP and Shiv Sena on their allocated seats.

NCP sources indicate that they are pushing for a formula where BJP would have 29 seats, Shiv Sena 11 seats, and NCP 8 seats. Media reports suggest that the BJP may contest 31 seats, allocating 13 to Shiv Sena and only 4 seats to NCP.

However, while speaking with News18, a top source within the NCP denies this formula, stating that the party is pushing for 8 seats. According to the source, NCP is demanding Dharashiv, Buldana, Parbhani, and Nasik seats from the BJP.

During negotiations, NCP has also provided the BJP with the names of their potential candidates for the election.

Former MP and NCP leader Anand Paranjpe told News18, “In the recently held review meeting of the party we did discuss 17 seats or Loksabha. If you remember we had contested 21 seats in 2019 out of which two seats we had left for our other friends in the alliance. After the discussion on 17 Loksabha seats our leadership is still in talks with the BJP leadership But I am surprised from where this number of 3 seats, 4 seats is appearing in certain media when talks are still underway.”