Maharashtra BJP Chief Announce Seat-Sharing Conclusion Timeline

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced seat-sharing talks for assembly polls will conclude in 10 days. He emphasized that winnability, not the number of seats contested, will be the main criteria. Any BJP members causing discord within the alliance will face strict action. Seat-sharing formulas are nearing finalization.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Sunday that the seat-sharing discussions for the upcoming assembly polls will conclude within 10 days.

Bawankule underscored that the decisive factor will be the chances of winning, rather than the total number of seats each party contests. Speaking in Nagpur, he stressed the importance of retaining a 'double engine government' to ensure the continuation of welfare schemes.

To maintain alliance harmony, Bawankule revealed that directives have been sent to all BJP functionaries to refrain from remarks that might cause discord within the coalition, which includes Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

Strict actions will be taken against any violators of this directive, stated Bawankule. In a prior development, CM Shinde, along with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, held initial seat-sharing talks in Nagpur on Saturday in preparation for the state assembly polls likely to occur in October-November.

According to sources, consensus has been reached for 173 seats, with BJP acquiring the largest share, followed by Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. The remaining 115 seats are expected to be finalized in upcoming meetings with Maharashtra BJP chief Bawankule, CM Shinde, and senior NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel.

(With inputs from agencies.)