Mumbai: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has extended an offer of six seats to the NCP-led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in their seat-sharing agreement, said reports. However, there's a catch – on two seats, the BJP proposed fielding its candidates who will run under the NCP's election symbol, while one candidate will contest under their own party symbol, according to a report in the Hindustan Times. This development has reportedly stirred discontent within the NCP and discussions on the allocation of seats remained unresolved yet once again in the Mahayuti alliance.
Pawar Seeks At Least 9 Seats
The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, had anticipated contesting on at least nine Lok Sabha seats, and the party's leadership is hesitant to accept the BJP's terms. Hence, there has been a delay in announcing candidates, as per reports quoting NCP leaders.
BJP's Condition On Alloting Seats To NCP
The BJP has earmarked Baramati, Raigad, Shirur, Parbhani, Satara and Osmanabad constituencies for the NCP. However, for Satara and Osmanabad, the BJP is adamant about fielding its own candidates – Udayanraje Bhosale and former IAS officer Pravin Pardeshi, respectively – to attract support.
While Parbhani falls under the NCP's quota, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) chief Mahadev Jankar, an ally of the ruling alliance, will contest independently under his party symbol.
Shivtare To Drop Baramati Plan After High-Level Meeting
In another major development, former Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Vijay Shivtare, who had previously declared his intent to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election independently from the Baramati constituency, recently convened a late-night meeting with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
As per a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Shivtare and Shinde deliberated on various issues concerning Purandar taluka and the challenges confronting the local populace. The discussions were characterised as constructive, with Shinde attentively addressing all the concerns raised by Shivtare. The statement indicated that Shivtare would unveil his future plans during an imminent press conference.
Vijay Shivtare After Meeting With Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis & Ajit Pawar |
This meeting was held on the lines of a stern warning issued by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, intimating a potential withdrawal unless the Shiv Sena took action against Shivtare for his recurrent verbal assaults targeting Pawar. NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil vehemently condemned Shivtare's disparaging language towards the Deputy CM, denouncing it as highly objectionable.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Schedule
Regarding the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra will conduct its polls across five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. The results will be announced on June 4. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, spanning seven phases from April 19 to June 1, will encompass 543 constituencies nationwide.
