Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting on Tuesday with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and key leaders from the ruling parties to resolve differences over a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Reports suggest that the Shiv Sena, led by Shinde, has expressed its desire to retain its current 13 constituencies, while the BJP is willing to offer only 10 seats.
Similarly, the NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, is eyeing eight seats, with a keen interest in Gadchiroli where state minister Dharmarao Baba Atram may be fielded. Shah indicated an allocation of only four seats, including Baramati, where a contest between Pawar’s wife Sunetra and cousin Supriya Sule is likely.
The BJP wants to contest the remaining 32 seats, emphasizing a potential increase in the alliance’s parliamentary strength. The party is also keen on swapping certain constituencies, like Parbhani, Nashik, Aurangabad, Osmanabad, and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg. In Mumbai, Shinde’s faction demands two seats, while the BJP strongly desires Thane, historically a Shiv Sena stronghold. The meeting extended into the late night, with Shah urging the allies to compromise on seat allocation for the Lok Sabha elections, promising compensation during the subsequent assembly elections later this year.
A BJP leader, speaking on anonymity, mentioned that candidates for uncontested seats, including those held by the BJP, might be announced by the weekend. The leaders discussed the number of seats to be allotted to the three ruling parties, aiming for a consensus in the coming days.
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