Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024: Ajit Pawar discusses seat-sharing with Amit Shah ahead of elections

Ajit Pawar/ PTI

Ajit Pawar, president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Deputy Chief Minister, met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, ahead of Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024, to discuss key issues such as seat sharing among Mahayuti partners in the upcoming assembly election, alliance strengthening strategies against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), and crop loan waivers for farmers.

IANS' sources from NCP confirmed the meeting with the news agency and underlined that Mahayuti will contest the Maharashtra assembly polls 2024 as a united front to retain power. Amit Shah dismissed the idea of the BJP contesting alone or breaking ties with the NCP or Shiv Sena. Shah promised that the BJP would ensure equal seat distribution among allies, with winnability being the major priority.

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The Mahayuti's recent victory in the state council election, with nine seats, has boosted party workers' morale, especially after a poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

"It is very clear that Mahayuti will together contest the ensuing assembly election in Maharashtra with full force and strength with the sole objective of retaining the power. Shah has ruled out the possibility of the BJP going solo or severing links with the NCP or with Shiv Sena. A veteran BJP leader and Union home minister also clarified that the BJP will give due justice to the allies including Shiv Sena and NCP in the seat-sharing with winnability as the leading criteria," NCP sources of news agency told IANS.

Pawar's meeting with Shah is significant since it follows a similar meeting between Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shah two weeks ago. Shinde, who will lead Mahayuti in the Maharashtra assembly polls 2024, has expressed a desire for the Shiv Sena to run for 100 seats. Faced with member pressure, the BJP aims for 150 seats, citing its previous success in the 2009 assembly elections, the report added.

According to the report, the NCP, which was promised 90 seats when it joined Mahayuti in July 2022, is apprehensive that this number may be lowered if the BJP and Shiv Sena enhance their claims. Shah reiterated that Mahayuti would remain united.

As state finance minister, Pawar has advocated budgetary advantages for farmers, women, youth, industry, and other sectors. He has also campaigned for a crop debt waiver to help farmers impacted by natural disasters and market swings. Pawar reminded Shah that, while the previous MVA government waived crop loans, the present Mahayuti administration has extended benefits to farmers who repay their loans on time. This is critical, as agriculture and related sectors are predicted to grow by only 1.9 per cent in 2023-24, compared to 4.5 per cent in 2022-23, the report added.