Maharashtra Elections: Mahayuti Deal Sealed? Here’s How Many Seats BJP, Shinde Sena & Ajit Pawar’s NCP May Get – News18

Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — is all set to seal the seat distribution, said sources.

Sources told CNN-News18 that the BJP will contest the highest number of seats, followed by the Sena and NCP. “The BJP is likely to contest anywhere between 150 and 155 seats, the Sena 90-95 seats and the NCP 40-45 seats,” sources said.

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Multiple rounds of meetings have taken place between the alliance leaders to finalise the seat-sharing arrangement. Sources have also indicated that the alliance will be in a position to declare the seat-sharing arrangement before the announcement of the poll dates. “The distribution of a majority of seats has been completed. Around 25 seats will need a couple of rounds of discussion,” sources added.

The alliance partners have conducted multiple surveys. One of the most important criteria for giving anybody a ticket is the ability to win. It is also learnt that in case of sitting candidates, change is expected only on 5-10% seats.

THE TWISTS AND TURNS SINCE 2019

In the last state assembly elections in 2019, the Shiv Sena was a united force under Uddhav Thackeray. Also, Ajit Pawar was with his uncle Sharad Pawar.

The last five years since the assembly elections have seen political turmoil. Despite winning the majority in 2019, the alliance between the BJP and Shiv Sena did not stand after the election results and President’s rule was imposed. In November, to everyone’s surprise, Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the CM of the state along with Ajit Pawar, who jumped ship to form the government with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and was made the deputy CM. However, three days later, the duo resigned and Ajit Pawar went back to his uncle Sharad Pawar.

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Thackeray then formed an alliance with the NCP and Congress to form the government after the floor test on November 28.

In June 2022, in another setback for Thackeray, his party’s Eknath Shinde joined the NDA along with a group of MLAs to form a government with the BJP in the state. Shinde was made the CM and Fadnavis became his deputy. A few months later, Ajit Pawar, once again, split from his uncle with a group of leaders and joined the Mahayuti alliance and was made the deputy CM again.

It is also known through sources that all three parties may even ask some leaders to contest the assembly polls, including those who have either lost the Lok Sabha elections or were not fielded in the last Lok Sabha elections.

THE LOK SABHA SETBACK

With focus on winning, most seats are being considered critically while ticket distribution. Apart from anti-incumbency, the recent Lok Sabha elections also added to the worry of the Mahayuti. Maratha voters deserted the NDA, along with the party losing out on votes from the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Dalit segments. With a good strike rate in the recent Lok Sabha elections and with Shinde, a Maratha, as its face, his party is likely to contest more seats in Marathwada.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP contested 28 of the 48 seats. However, the party was able to win just nine seats, Shinde’s party won seven and Ajit Pawar one.

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In the upcoming elections, Shinde will continue to contest from Thane, while Fadnavis will continue to contest the assembly polls from Nagpur.

The current Mahayuti government in the state has announced a host of public welfare measures, which also include their Ladki Bahin Yojana that provides for Rs 1,500 to be given to two women members of a family. The state has already distributed more than three installments. Close to 2.5 crore women across the state have enrolled for the scheme.

Frequent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including an upcoming visit to the state on October 5, and multiple visits by Union Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to strengthen the BJP’s position in the state. Union ministers Bhupendra Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw have been made the BJP election in-charges for the state.