MUMBAI: As the alliance known as Mahayuti in Maharashra navigates the complexities of seat distribution for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Monday that the process of finalsing seat sharing arrangements in the state is expected to conclude within the next eight to ten days.
Fadnavis elaborated on the ongoing negotiations for seat sharing, stating, “We are currently determining the allocation of seats among our alliance partners in Mahayuti, which includes the NCP led by DCM Ajit Pawar and the Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde. As a result, Maharashtra’s BJP candidates were not listed in the BJP’s initial roster for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. We anticipate completing this process in the next eight to ten days, after which an official announcement will be made by the relevant party authority.”
This development follows reports of discord within Mahayuti regarding the allocation of Lok Sabha election seats in Maharashtra, with significant discrepancies between the demands of alliance partners and the BJP’s offerings.
According to sources, the BJP has proposed allocating seven seats to the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) versus their request for 11 seats, and four seats to the NCP led by DCM Ajit Pawar, against their preference for seven seats. Additionally, smaller allied groups, including Mahadeo Jankar’s Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and Sadhabhau Khoth’s Rayat Kranti Sangathana, have each sought one seat for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, complicating the BJP’s efforts in seat distribution and delaying the official announcement in Maharashtra.
