New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with leaders of Maharashtra’s Mahayuti alliance, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and NCP's Ajit Pawar, to discuss seat allocation for the upcoming Assembly elections. The four-hour discussion reportedly provided clarity on most seats, although around eight crucial seats in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will be declared at the last minute to avoid potential issues with rebel candidates.
Amit Shah emphasized the importance of minimizing risks posed by rebel candidates, given the competitive nature of the upcoming election, which may see intense multi-way contests across the state. In addition to the two factions of both the Shiv Sena and NCP, the Congress, BJP, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi are expected to compete, creating a crowded political field and increasing the chances of vote-splitting.
Andheri East, Lokhandwala Among Undecided Seats For Mahayuti
According to an Indian Express report, these undecided seats in the Mumbai region reportedly include areas like Andheri East, Lokhandwala, Bhayandar, Ghatkopar East and Borivali.
The Andheri East seat is represented by Rutuja Latke, Lokhandwala is represented by Bharati Lavekar, Bhayandar seat is represented by Geeta Jain, Ghatkopar East seat is represented by Parag Shah and Borivali seat is represented by Sunil Rane.
Reports citing sources familiar with the meeting indicated that these seats will remain unconfirmed until closer to the election to discourage rebel candidates from entering the race.
Efforts are ongoing to manage internal dissent, as illustrated by Snehalata Kolhe, who considered running as a rebel from Kopargaon and former minister Raj Purohit from Colaba, both of whom have now agreed to step back. These negotiations are expected to continue until the November 4 deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
Mahayuti's Seat Sharing Formula
In terms of the broader seat distribution within the alliance, the BJP is set to contest around 150-155 seats, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) is expected to run in 80-90 seats and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction will take the remaining share out of Maharashtra’s total of 288 seats.
The leaders also reviewed the impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent rally in Maharashtra, which has reportedly bolstered the Mahayuti’s campaign. Plans for at least 12 additional rallies by Modi across the state are in motion, with the alliance hoping his presence will further solidify their voter base.
