The Lok Sabha election is going to get announced at any time. The seat-sharing agreement between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition parties, particularly the Shiv Sena, has reached the final stage.
In the previous elections, the BJP contested 26 seats, securing victory in 24, while the Shiv Sena contested 22 and won 18.
In response to the internal changes within the Shiv Sena, the BJP has strategically decided to contest in 28 constituencies, aiming to strengthen its position.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has firmly stated that the BJP will not settle for less than 26 seats.
The Shiv Sena will be contesting 18 seats in the opposition alliance this time. Uddhav Thackeray has appointed coordinators for only 18 constituencies and in Mumbai alone, coordinators have been appointed for 4 seats.
Initially, the Shiv Sena had requested 23 seats, but after analyzing the ground situation, it decided to contest in 18 constituencies and Uddhav Thackeray has already finalized candidates for 11 seats.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena's party, led by Eknath Shinde, have settled for 10 seats each.
However, a statement from an NCP leader suggests that last-minute changes are possible, depending on Shiv Sena's demands.
He also stated that the Shiv Sena may request additional seats. After the split in the Shiv Sena, CM Shinde's team has 13 MPs. So, if the Shiv Sena asks for more seats, then the BJP will do the same and he will provide them from his constituency.
The Congress party, which is dealing with internal changes as a result of Ashok Chavan's resignation, has faced delays in finalising seat-sharing agreements.
Prithviraj Chavan has replaced Ashok Chavan, and discussions are expected to heat up following the special assembly session, which included a resolution to provide reservation to the Maratha community.