Seat-sharing for both alliances to be a difficult job in Maharashtra

The seat sharing between the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena coalition and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi mega-alliance in Maharashtra is becoming a major issue in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with no party agreeing to concede their previous position.

Maharashtra accounts for 48 Lok Sabha seats -- the second biggest numerically after Uttar Pradesh’s 80 seats.

Of the 48 seats, six are in the financial capital of Mumbai.

On the ruling side, informal talks between Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the BJP leadership comprising Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrashekhar Bawankule have already commenced.

As far as Opposition MVA is concerned, its architect Sharad Pawar has already chaired a meeting of top leadership including Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar, Baramati MP Supriya Sule, state Congress president Nana Patole, his Mumbai counterpart Bhai Jagtap, CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat, former chief minister Ashok Chavan, state NCP president Jayant Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, and have decided to launch seat-sharing meeting.

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However, if one looks at 2014, 2019 and 2023, the political situation has undergone a sea change with the split of Balasaheb Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena.

As far as the ruling saffron alliance is concerned, the BJP wants to contest the lion’s share of seats as the national saffron party wants to increase its tally in the Lok Sabha. However, the Shinde group is demanding 22 seats -- one less than the 23 that the undivided Shiv Sena contested the last time.

“It is a complex issue. We don’t think that it’s going to be sorted out so soon. Obviously, the BJP will contest more seats than it did last time. But the Shinde group has put up a demand of 22 seats, which is difficult for the BJP to concede,” sources in the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance said.

As regards the MVA is concerned, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has put a demand to contest 23 seats -- as the undivided Shiv Sena contested last time, which the Congress-NCP has said no. “We would decide the seat-sharing on the basis of merit,” state Congress president Nana Patole said, adding “The situation in 2014, 2019, and now is different. The Congress will review each seat in the first week of June and arrive at a decision.”

On the other hand, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar made it clear that no formula has been arrived at. “Let us first look at the seats which the BJP had won last time and then take a call on that as to who would contest it. As far as the winning seats are concerned, we can discuss that later,” he said.

Among the three parties, the major issue now is supremacy. “If the alliance partners of MVA want to defeat the BJP, then they all should be ready for compromise and sacrifice,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.