Shinde, Fadnavis discuss seats; CM irked with BJP for giving ticket to Sulabha Gaikwad

The two leaders also discussed disputed seats, exchange of certain seats and candidates, and also the future course of action to avoid rebellion when the lists of candidates are announced

MUMBAI: While the opposition coalition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is struggling to reach a consensus on the seat-sharing pact, the ruling Mahayuti alliance too is fighting various challenges, albeit sans the drama witnessed between state Congress chief Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut.

Shinde, Fadnavis discuss seats; CM irked with BJP for giving ticket to Sulabha Gaikwad

Late on Monday, chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis met to discuss the contentious issue. Shinde expressed unhappiness with BJP for nominating Sulabha Gaikwad, whose MLA husband Ganpat Gaikwad had fired at his party’s Kalyan unit chief Mahesh Gaikwad inside a police station. He was also irked with the party for unilaterally announcing candidates for Nalla Sopara, Dhule, Achalpur and Uran seats, a senior Shiv Sena leader told HT.

The two leaders also discussed disputed seats, exchange of certain seats and candidates, and also the future course of action to avoid rebellion when the lists of candidates are announced.

Sources in the BJP said the meeting, held at the CM’s official residence Varsha, went on for two hours. Mahayuti constituents could not come to a consensus over 25 disputed seats, among them Mumbai, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Vidarbha, as also the issue of availability of the candidates with elective merits. The three constituents are also wary of the potential rebellion which is being witnessed in the BJP after it announced its first list of 99 candidates.

While the three parties in the ruling coalition have worked out the seat sharing formula, it is not likely to make it official soon. BJP will field 155-160 seats, Shinde-led Shiv Sena 85-90 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP 45-50 seats, HT has learnt from leaders privy to the seat sharing talks.

A Shinde-led Sena leader told HT, “The leaders discussed Mumbai seats including Mahim, Kalina, Andheri East, Dindoshi and Worli. BJP and Sena have both staked their claim on a few seats in MMR and Konkan. On the other hand, in both constituencies, both the parties have no suitable candidates with elective merit. The party is considering borrowing each other’s candidates to tide this over.” The induction of BJP leader and former minister Rajkumar Badole into the Ajit Pawar-led NCP was one such example.

On the issue of averting rebellion, a BJP leader told HT, “After the first list of our party was released, voices of dissident erupted from various constituencies. The two leaders discussed steps to avert rebellion and decided to delay the release of names, choosing to hand out A and B forms to the candidates.”

Meanwhile, Shinde has called all his MLAs to Varsha on Wednesday to give out party forms for filing of nominations. Prior to that he will seek the blessings of Goddess Kamakhya, in Guwahati.