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Seat-Sharing Stalemate in Maharashtra's MLC Elections
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledged a deadlock in the ongoing seat-sharing negotiations for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, expressing optimism for a resolution. “We are locked with Shiv Sena on Nashik and Sambhajinagar and with NCP over Pune. But I’m sure we will be able to solve this crisis by discussion in the coming days,” he remarked. A meeting of the Mahayuti coalition aimed at breaking the impasse concluded without any significant progress, compelling leaders to convene with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
According to a BJP source, the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, is pushing for seven seats, a demand deemed excessive by the BJP, which is currently offering three. “If Amit Shah intervenes, they can get one or two more,” the source noted. The elections will see 17 seats contested, with constituencies such as Pune, Nashik, and Thane among the key battlegrounds. The State Election Commission has scheduled biennial elections for 16 seats and a bypoll for Nagpur, following the resignation of BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule, with nominations due by June 1.
This standoff comes on the heels of the Mahayuti coalition's impressive performance in local body elections, where they captured 8,239 out of 12,201 seats, achieving a 67.5 percent success rate. The BJP led the charge with 4,540 seats, followed by Shiv Sena at 1,888 and NCP at 1,604. The opposition alliance, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, managed just 2,195 seats collectively.
Initially, the BJP had offered three seats to Shiv Sena and two to NCP for the upcoming elections on June 18. Shinde's demands, ranging from five to seven seats, target key areas like Thane and Jalgaon. Notably, Jalgaon has become a focal point due to Sena leader Gulabrao Patil's son expressing interest in the seat. “There is no wrong in asking for the seat. This is our right. But we will accept whatever decision will be taken by higher ups,” Patil stated.
Despite meeting with Amit Shah, Shinde's requests face resistance from the BJP, which is keen to hold onto its winning seats. “From what I understand, Shinde’s demands won’t be fulfilled as he is asking for seats where BJP is in a position to win by itself,” a BJP leader explained. The most contentious areas for Shiv Sena remain Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, seen as traditional strongholds. A Shiv Sena leader asserted, “We have enough corporators in these places who can get us through. I am sure Shinde and Fadnavis will sit and solve these amicably.”
Meanwhile, the NCP is standing firm on its claim to Pune, dismissing rumors that Jay Pawar would be a candidate for the seat. “There is no truth in Jay Pawar contesting the elections this time in Pune. A decision will soon be taken by senior leaders of Mahayuti,” said party spokesperson Umesh Patil. The NCP insists on retaining Pune due to its historical association with the party and favorable vote counts. Patil emphasized, “We are going to insist that the Pune seat be given to us since numbers are important and we have them.”
Additionally, the NCP is advocating for the Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seat for Aniket Tatkare, son of party leader Sunil Tatkare, while the BJP seems prepared to concede Thane-Palghar to Shinde's faction, despite internal dissent. Local BJP leaders argue that their party's 444 votes in the local bodies should secure them the seat, as opposed to Shinde’s 346. They recently convened with state ministers to press their case, citing past electoral successes as justification for their claims.
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