Due to the intra-party and inter-party issues in the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties in Maharashtra will not be easy.
The issue has already drawn criticism from the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which has decided to contest the future elections together.
Already a large section of MLAs in both the alliance partners seem to be unhappy with the nine-month-old Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis dispensation as the 20-member Cabinet is yet to expanded. The swearing in of ministers of state and appointment to chairpersons of state-owned boards are yet to take place.
Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha and 288 Vidhan Sabha seats.
At a workshop of party spokespersons, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the BJP would contest 240 seats, indicating that it would leave 48 seats for Shinde’s team, sparking a row. Besides, he did not mention about the Independents and smaller parties supporting the alliance.
However, neither Shinde nor Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who calls the shots for the BJP, has not commented on the issue so far.
“Are we stupid to contest just 48 seats,” MLA Sanjay Shirsat, considered close to Shinde, said reacting to the statement.
Rattled by the unexpected fallout and chain reaction, Bawankule claimed that this statement was selectively shown and misinterpreted to convey a wrong impression and create confusion.
“There has been no discussion on any seat-sharing formula with the Shiv Sena so far… But we shall target to win over 200 seats in the elections,” Bawankule said.
State NCP President Jayant Patil said: “Today, the BJP is saying that it will give 48 seats to Shinde…one must remember that elections are a year away…when the actual time comes, the Shinde supporters won’t get a single seat.”
According to Patil, “ Destroying allies has been the BJP's way of functioning.”
On the other hand, state Congress President Nana Patole, a former Speaker, said: “What was in Bawankule’s mind seems to have come out.”
On the other hand, Bachchu Kadu, the founder of Prahar Janshakti Party, who supports Shinde, seemed to be rattled with the developments. “We are only supporting Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis from outside.,We are not part of their alliance. When we join their alliance, then the issue of seat-sharing will crop up, and we will see,” he said, keeping cards close to his chest.
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena group’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “Today they are saying 48 seats... Tomorrow they would give five seats…they would agree to it also, rather accept it.”