Mahayuti has 208 MLAs, seat-sharing talks only on remaining 80 seats: BJP leader Shelar

Talks are moving ahead positively with co-ordination. Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, took part in the meeting along with his partys working president Praful Patel.Last week, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Mahayuti constituents have arrived at a consensus on 70 to 80 per cent of the 288 assembly seats.The ruling coalition had fared poorly in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, winning just 17 of the 48 seats, while the MVA had emerged victorious in 30 parliamentary constituencies.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar on Wednesday claimed that seat-sharing formula among Maharashtra's Mahayuti allies was restricted to just 80 seats as the ruling coalition has the support of 208 MLAs and there was no need to discuss those assembly segments.

The ruling Mahayuti (grand alliance), which consists of the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, is yet to formally announce distribution of seats among its constituents for the 288-member assembly in Maharashtra, where polls are likely to be held in November.

To a question at the 'India Today Conclave' here on Mahayuti's seat-sharing formula and how talks on it were progressing, Shelar said, ''We have the support of 208 MLAs. Thus, there is no need to discuss those seats. We will be discussing the distribution of the remaining 80 seats among us.'' The former state minister also predicted that ahead of the assembly elections, the opposition coalition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will split.

The MVA comprises the Congress, the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a key BJP poll strategist, met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well as deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Tuesday night during his Maharashtra visit.

Though details of the meeting were not disclosed, Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, later said the meeting was positive and ''everything was going on smoothly.'' When reporters asked Shinde about seat-sharing, he said, ''The meeting was positive and a decision will be taken soon. Talks are moving ahead positively with co-ordination.'' Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, took part in the meeting along with his party's working president Praful Patel.

Last week, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Mahayuti constituents have arrived at a consensus on ''70 to 80 per cent'' of the 288 assembly seats.

The ruling coalition had fared poorly in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, winning just 17 of the 48 seats, while the MVA had emerged victorious in 30 parliamentary constituencies.

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