MUMBAI : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi late Friday night. However, the BJP refused to concede a single additional seat to alliance partners for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Highly placed sources revealed that CM Eknath Shinde first met Union Minister Amit Shah, followed by DCM Ajit Pawar in Delhi. However, the deadlock over Lok Sabha seat sharing persists between these alliance partners.
Commenting on their meeting with BJP leadership, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde stated that discussions on seat sharing are ongoing and amicable resolution is expected soon.
“BJP has offered nine seats to Shiv Sena (Shinde) and four seats to Ajit Pawar-led NCP, contrary to their demand for 18 and nine Lok Sabha seats respectively. BJP leadership informed both Shinde and Ajit Pawar that conceding more seats to them would risk losing those seats.
Each seat holds significant importance in this Lok Sabha election, as indicated by multiple internal survey reports of the BJP. The alliance partners were urged not to insist on additional seats if they genuinely wish to see Narendra Modi re-elected as Prime Minister for the third time,” said the source requesting anonymity.
