“BJP largest party in Maharashtra, will contest more seats,’ says Fadnavis on NCP’s 80-90 seat demand”.

Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal demanded on Monday that his party be allotted 80-90 seats to contest in the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for this year.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, representing the BJP, asserted that his party, being the largest, would contest in more seats. Speaking at a party meeting, Bhujbal expressed dissatisfaction, stating, ‘When we joined the alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena), we were promised 80 to 90 seats for the assembly elections. However, in the recent Lok Sabha polls, we were given very few seats to contest. We need to convey to the BJP our desire for a greater number of seats, aiming to win around 50 to 60 seats.’

In the 2019 state polls, out of the 288 seats, BJP secured 105, while the undivided NCP won 54 seats. Bhujbal pondered the outcome of contesting 50 seats given the current number of MLAs within the party.

Expressing displeasure over reports of the potential introduction of Manusmriti, an ancient Hindu text, in schools, Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader, remarked, ‘We invested significant effort in assuring Dalits that the BJP’s ambition to win over 400 Lok Sabha seats did not imply a threat to reservation benefits as enshrined in the Constitution. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismissed such claims by the opposition. Now, with reports of Manusmriti possibly being introduced in schools, it raises concerns.’

Responding to Bhujbal’s statements, Fadnavis reiterated that the BJP, being the largest party, would contest more seats in the upcoming election. However, he emphasized that the final seat-sharing formula would be determined only after discussions among leaders of the three parties.