Maharashtra Polls Announced, Mahayuti Likely To Seal Seat Sharing Pact Today After Meeting Amit Shah

All three Mahayuti leaders, NCP’s Ajit Pawar, Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, are set to hold a meeting with senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon, a day after the Election Commission announced that the Maharashtra elections would be held in a single phase on November 20.

The trio is likely to discuss the seat sharing and finalise the numbers after meeting Shah ahead of the assembly polls, the results of which will be declared on November 23.

The poll bugle has been sounded for Maharashtra, where the ruling Mahayuti will see a direct fight with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The BJP aims to retain power in the 288-strong Maharashtra assembly with allies Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is facing a challenge from the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition of the Congress-NCP(SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT), which hopes to repeat its performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The opposition MVA alliance won 31 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections.

NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, considered the architect of the MVA coalition in Maharashtra, declared that he will not rest until he puts Maharashtra on the “right track” regardless of his age.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the state awaits a “strong mandate” to the Mahayuti alliance in the next month’s assembly elections for its development.

Lok Sabha Poll Results

The 2024 Maharashtra Lok Sabha results showed the BJP was ahead in 83 assembly segments, down from its current strength of 103 seats. Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena led on 38 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s NCP was leading in 6 constituencies. BJP ally Rashtriya Samaj Paksha also led on 1 seat.

Overall, the Mahayuti alliance secured leads in 128 seats, significantly down from its current strength of 203.

The MVA, on the other hand, was ahead on 151 assembly seats. The Congress led on highest number of assembly seats, 63. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena was ahead on 56 seats, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP led on 32.