With tensions prevailing among the ruling ‘Mahayuti’ allies over seat-sharing in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that 80% of the process had been completed, and talks between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP’s three allies in Maharashtra (Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the BJP, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP) had been positive.
A late-night meeting on Friday to resolve seat-sharing differences between the ruling Mahayuti allies saw Mr. Shinde, along with his Deputy CMs, Mr. Fadnavis and Mr. Ajit Pawar, meet with Mr. Shah at the latter’s residence in Delhi. Also present were NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Sunil Tatkare and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel.
“The outcome of the Delhi meeting was positive. 80% of the work [on seat-sharing] is completed. We [leadership of all three ruling parties] are talking to each other and the issues will be resolved soon,” Mr. Fadnavis said.
Eknath Shinde Sena camp leader Sanjay Shirsat said the announcement of candidates for Maharashtra was expected in the next two days, remarking that all would be clear soon.
Yet, despite Mr. Fadnavis’ assurance that the talks would be wrapped up soon, senior leader from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena camp, Ramdas Kadam, continued to vent spleen on the BJP’s “interference” in the Konkan region.
Mr. Kadam, speaking during an event at which the CM was present, openly voiced his grievances against the BJP staking claim on seats which had sitting MPs from Mr. Shinde’s faction.
“Goa’s CM Pramod Sawant comes to Dapoli and stakes the BJP’s claim on places that rightfully belong to us. The local BJP leaders do the same. Are they [BJP] trying to finish their alliance with us?” Mr. Kadam said, taking care to add, however, that his criticism was directed specifically at Maharashtra BJP leaders.
According to sources, the BJP wants to contest on as many as 32-34 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, leaving 10 for Mr. Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction and a mere four, or even less, for Ajit Pawar’s NCP.
