MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said there were no differences within the Mahayuti alliance over seat sharing for the biennial Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections and expressed confidence that the alliance would win all 17 seats.
Shinde said the Mahayuti alliance would contest all 17 seats and that the seat sharing arrangement would be worked out amicably among the alliance partners.
“The MLC election seat sharing will take place in an honourable way, where each alliance partner will be respected. Mahayuti is together and united, and therefore it is going to win all 17 seats. On the other hand, I am doubtful that the opposition will win even a single seat,” Shinde said.
He also dismissed speculation about differences within the alliance and said the opposition was trying to create confusion over Mahayuti’s unity.
“We fought several elections together and will continue to do so. Our alliance is very strong. The opposition cannot digest the unity among Mahayuti alliance partners, therefore they are speculating about a rift in the alliance,” Shinde said.
Sources said the Shiv Sena had, in principle, agreed to the 12:4:2 seat sharing formula for the MLC elections. “Earlier, Shiv Sena was adamant about its demand for five seats in the MLC election. However, the BJP refused to budge and offered four seats against the earlier offer of three seats. BJP is the single largest party, and it continues to seek dominance and expand its footprint. Shinde tried to persuade the BJP leadership to allot five seats, but they refused to concede,” a source said on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan met BJP national general secretary Nitin Nabin to discuss probable candidates for the MLC elections.
“Chavan has shortlisted 48 names for the BJP’s 12 MLC seats, and the list has been submitted to the party leadership. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also met the BJP national president and discussed the party’s candidates for the MLC elections. The names will be finalised and the list will be declared soon,” a person privy to the development said.