Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stepped into the ongoing seat-sharing negotiations between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in Maharashtra. With state elections on the horizon, the BJP’s alliance with the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) is crucial to securing a majority. However, differences over seat allocation have emerged, with both allies demanding a larger share of seats than the BJP is currently willing to concede.
Source:- news 18
As the chief strategist and troubleshooter for the BJP, Shah’s intervention aims to smooth over these disagreements and ensure a united front going into the elections. Over the past week, Shah has held a series of meetings with senior leaders from both factions, urging them to remain flexible and focused on the larger goal of defeating the opposition coalition led by the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
Source:-BBC news
The Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) is reportedly asking for at least 100 of the 288 Assembly seats, while the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) is demanding a significant chunk, citing their influence in Western Maharashtra. However, the BJP is cautious about overcommitting seats, given its own ambitions to strengthen its footprint in the state. Sources suggest that Shah is working on a formula that would see the BJP accommodating some of these demands while retaining key constituencies for itself.
Political analysts believe Shah’s involvement signals the importance of Maharashtra for the BJP’s national strategy, particularly as the 2024 general elections approach. By mediating a fair agreement, Shah aims to avoid any public rift that could weaken the alliance’s prospects. With Shah’s intervention, there is a growing expectation that an agreement will soon be reached, with BJP allies likely to secure a seat distribution closer to their demands.
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