Mumbai: The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra has made significant progress by approving 276 constituencies ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. However, negotiations are still ongoing for 12 critical seats, with each of the three coalition partners—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP—asserting their claims.
The situation was more complex prior to a late-night meeting at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence in Delhi on Thursday. Reports indicate that around 37 seats were under dispute before the meeting. By the end of the discussions, Shah successfully resolved 25 of these contentious seats, bringing some level of satisfaction to the coalition partners. However, 12 seats continue to be a sticking point. The coalition are at odds over key constituency likes Boisar, Palghar, Nallasopara, Vasai.
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Sources said that possibilities of rebellion for these seats is growing with each passing day. The option to announce candidates just before the last day of nomination was also explored. It may reduce the speculations of rebellion within the alliance, otherwise the opposition could use it to its benefits.
Earlier in the week, another round of discussions took place in Delhi, featuring Amit Shah alongside Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis. During this meeting, the coalition reached a preliminary agreement on seat sharing, with the BJP expected to contest around 156 seats in the state.
As the deadline for nominations lurks around, the urgency to resolve these disputes intensifies. The outcome of these negotiations will be pivotal not only for the Mahayuti alliance’s electoral strategy but also for maintaining unity among its diverse factions.
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