Mumbai: At a time when the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar are vying to maximize their seat share in the upcoming state assembly polls, the BJP appears firm that it will not settle for less than 160 seats.
(For the record, in the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP had contested 122 seats and won 105, but failed to form the government after Uddhav Thackeray’s faction allied with Congress and NCP.)
About The Buzz
The buzz is that Eknath Shinde in his presentation has made out a case for 107 seats. These seats are mostly concentrated in the Mumbai, Thane, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), where it is confident of taking on the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates. The BJP too is inclined to facilitate a direct contest between the Shinde-led Sena and the UBT faction in some of these seats.
About The Meeting That Took Place On Sunday
At a late-night meeting on Sunday, the topic of discussion reportedly revolved around the number of seats the BJP wanted to contest and the share of the Mahayuti alliance partners. Those attending the meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar and others. The meeting, it is said, focussed on reviewing the BJP’s preparations at the ground level. A key strategist himself, Shah emphasised the need for a robust campaign, especially in light of the party’s performance in recent Lok Sabha polls, which had fallen well short of expectations.
Meanwhile, the absence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at the key meetings with the home minister has become a talking point. Pawar was conspicuously missing during Shah’s visit to Lalbaugcha Raja and during the parleys at the official residences of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis as well. However, Pawar is reported to have met Shah at a meeting called at the airport on Monday, where Shinde and Fadnavis were present. He was accompanied by senior leader Praful Patel and the NCP’s state unit chief, Sunil Tatkare.
The discussion, sources said, was focused on seat-sharing and modalities, and underscored the resolve to remain a united force while contesting the elections. Shah is believed to have asked the leaders to resolve internal issues in the alliance. Ganesh darshan for Home Minister.
Union Home Minister Visits Lalbaugcha Raja
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his wife Sonal visited Lalbaugcha Raja in Mumbai on Monday, to offer prayers in the ongoing Ganeshotsav. Shah also visited Varsha, the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the home of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, to offer obeisance to Ganpati.
