Having made marked progress in the ongoing seat-sharing talks among its constituents for the forthcoming Maharashta Assembly polls, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance-led “Maha-Yuti” indicated on Monday that the Opposition grand alliance would finalise the seat tie-up among its five allies by August 15.
Talking to mediapersons after a meeting of leaders of “Maha-Yuti”, Maharashtra BJP president Devendra Fadnavis said, “The seat-sharing arrangement will take a final shape by August 10. On or before August 15, we will make the final announcement”.
Apart from Fadnavis, the “Maha-Yuti” meeting was attended by leaders of the Opposition in the State Assembly and Council Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawade both of the BJP, respectively, Swabhimani Paksh leader and MP Raju Shetti, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha leader Mahadeo Jankar, Shiv Sena leaders Subhash Desai and Sanjay Raut, Republic Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale and Maratha leader Vinayak Mete, who heads an NGO Shiv Sangram.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has not participated in two rounds of seat-sharing talks held among the constituents of “Maha-Yuti” so far.
“We did not discuss the specifics of seat-sharing. Instead, we concentrated on the basic framework under which seat-sharing should be done. We discussed the merits and demerits of staking on certain specific seats. There will be more rounds of discussion. We should complete a final arrangement by August 15,” Fadnavis said.
Informed sources in the “Maha-Yuti” said that the BJP, which has over the past several Assembly elections contested 114 seats (out of a total 288 seats) as against the Shiv Sena’s share of the remaining 174 seats, has this time around demanded at least 15 more seats, based on its lok Sabha performance.
Similarly, the Ramdas Athawale-led RPI has staked claim for 20 seats, while Mahadeo Jankar-led Rashtriya Samaj Paksha wants a least 10 seats. The Swabhimani Paksha, which was given two seats in the lok Sabha and won one, is rooting for a good representation especially in western Maharashtra, where it has a large following among the sugarcane farmers.