Mumbai: Even before the seat sharing formula is worked out among his two major partners in Mahayuti - BJP and NCP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has jumped the gun and announced the list of the Shiv Sena party in charges and observers for as many as 113 out of the 288 Assembly constituencies.
It is expected that most of these 113 persons may well ultimately turn into candidates for the assembly elections. Till then they will concentrate in tending these constituences.
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About The Move
The move makes it amply clear that Shinde wants a bigger share-more than what he has currently with him - 40 MLAs who joined forces with him to remove Uddhav Thackeray as the party boss. It also comes even as Prime Minister Narendra met BJP chief ministers in Delhi on Saturday (see story alongside) and a day after Modi had met with the party MPs from Maharashtra. Besides this, the Shinde faction took a strong exception to a statement made by former union minister and MP Narayan Rane who, while addressing media in Mumbai on Friday said that the BJP should contest all the 288 seats.
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Soon after this Thane MP Naresh Mhaske said that any decision on seat sharing would be be taken by the senior leaders in Delhi. He said this could be (Rane's) personal opinion and not of Mahayuti. Shinde's move interestingly comes even as he was in Delhi to attend NITI Aayog meeting, while Devendra Fadnavis participated in a party meeting in the national capital and Ajit Pawar met Home Minister Amit Shah. This was the second meeting between Pawar and Shah within five days.
Timing Of The Announcement
The announcement by Shinde camp shows that either all is not well in the Mahayuti or Shinde does not want to take chances, because he has been witness to the developments that took place in 2014 and 2019. In 2014, BJP decided to part ways with Shiv Sena to contest the state assembly elections at the last moment putting Uddhav Thackeary in a fix. And, in 2019 BJP reduced the seats demanded by Shiv Sena when Aaditya Thackeray was firm on contesting on 155 seats.
The list announced by Shinde-led Sena says, while 46 senior leaders along with ministers will be in charge for 103 constituencies, they will be assisted by 93 leaders as observers for each of the 113 constituencies. Forty three of these prominent leaders also comprise party MPs, ex MPs, MLAs, ex MLAs and ex Ministers with clout in particular areas. For instance Mumbai will have Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora for Worli and Shivadi - constituencies represented by Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena UBT group leader in the state assembly Ajay Chowdhari. For the rest of constituencies in Mumbai it will have Yashwant Jadhav, MP Ravindra Waikar, ex MP Rahul Shewale, Shishir Shinde, Sanjay Nirupam, Kamlesh Rai, where they wield influence.
Shinde's move also comes even as Ajit Pawar group is insisting for 85 to 90 seats. Soon after Pawar's meeting with Shah in Delhi, this number was reiterated. Given this scenario, Shinde seems to have made it clear that he is unmindful of what is going on behind the curtain.
Demand Made By Ex-Minister Ramdas Kadam
While speaking at the Shiv Sena foundation day function held last month ex Minister Ramdas Kadam had demanded 100 seats for Shiv Sena. Not a single seat less should be accepted, Kadam had said, adding that he had no interest in going by surveys like the one the BJP had shown the alliance during Lok Sabha.
“We have won despite such surveys giving negative reports about our winning chances. Also, do not delay the announcement of candidates like the Lok Sabha polls where a few seats were lost just because of this,” Kadam said.
Shinde, who had been present on the dais, as Kadam vented, was obviously keenly listening to his lieutenant.
