Maharashtra’s Mahayuti Alliance Approaches Final Seat-Sharing Agreement

In Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the seat-sharing discussions within the Mahayuti alliance are nearing completion. This coalition consists of the BJP, the Shiv Sena (led by the Shinde faction), and the NCP (under Ajit Pawar). Fadnavis indicated that the BJP is poised to unveil its first list of candidates shortly.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde echoed this sentiment, confirming that the seat-sharing negotiations are in their final stages. A crucial meeting took place with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to iron out the specifics. The discussions involved prominent leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and continued into the early hours of the morning.

Initially, the alliance had settled on 240 seats, but talks persisted regarding the allocation of the remaining 48 seats. Current expectations suggest that the BJP will contest between 150 and 160 seats, while the Shiv Sena is likely to field candidates for 75 to 85 seats, and the NCP will aim for 48 to 55 seats. With the Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled for November 20 and the vote counting set for November 23, the alliance is racing against time to finalize its strategy.