Final seat sharing and Mhayuti exchange decision expected next week

Mumbai ruling parties to finalize seat sharing and candidate exchange with BJP next week, disagreements persist over key constituencies.

MUMBAI: The announcement regarding the final seat sharing and exchange of constituencies and candidates among the three ruling parties is expected early next week. State leaders from these parties are slated to have a meeting with the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) either on Monday or Tuesday to reach a conclusive decision on the matter.

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Despite a series of discussions at the state level and subsequent meetings with the BJP’s central leadership, the three ruling constituents have yet to finalise the seat sharing formula. Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is persisting with its demand for three additional constituencies, while chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena is batting for at least two more seats beyond the 13 initially offered to them. Disagreements between the BJP and Shiv Sena persist over several seats, including Mumbai North-West, Palghar, Nashik, and Shirdi. At the same time, Ajit Pawar’s faction is pushing for Gadchiroli and Parbhani, currently held by its allies.

“During a meeting with the central leadership of the BJP, CM Shinde and DyCM Ajit Pawar convinced BJP leaders to allocate more seats to their respective factions. Initially adamant on offering fewer seats to its allies, the BJP finally proposed 13 seats to the Shinde faction and 4 to the Ajit Pawar faction. The ruling parties have admitted the strategic exchange of certain seats and the amicable swapping of candidates to enhance their chances of victory,” said a senior BJP figure.

“There are differences within the ruling alliance over a few seats and we expect them to be resolved in the meeting expected to be held on Monday or Tuesday in Delhi. It is going on at the level of the highest leadership of three parties,” said a leader from the Shinde faction.