Six Seats Quicksand For Ruling & Oppn Camps

Nagpur: Even as the BJP has declared candidates on 20 seats from Maharashtra, including Nagpur, it is yet to arrive at an understanding with its two major Mahayuti partners (CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Dy CM Ajit Pawar-led NCP) for the remaining 28 seats. As per the poll analysts, the seats include six from Vidarbha, including Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Yavatmal-Washim, Chandrapur, Amravati and Gadchiroli. The situation is same in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as all three partners – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) have not yet declared even its first list. There are differences over seat sharing in six constituencies in Vidarbha.

While Congress wants to contest on all 10 seats in Vidarbha, which is a former bastion of the party, Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) too want to field their candidates on six constituencies. While Sena (UBT) is not ready to leave Ramtek, Yavatmal-Washim and Buldhana, where it had won in 2019 as an undivided party, NCP wants to contest from Bhandara-Gondia and Amravati like in 2019. Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe told TOI that MVA would announce the first list of candidates on March 17.In these six constituencies, Mahayuti and MVA are also facing stiff challenge from their local leaders who are keen to contest the polls. As the Election Commission of India (ECI) is all set to announce the polling dates on Saturday after which the code of conduct would be enforced, both Mahayuti and MVA would need to expedite its selection process, the analysts said.Among the Mahayuti partners, NCP (Ajit Pawar) has staked claim over Gadchiroli and Bhandara-Gondia seats which were won by BJP in 2019. State FDA minister Dharmrao Baba Atram has demanded ticket from Gadchiroli. There were speculations that NCP may field former civil aviation minister Praful Patel from Bhandara-Gondia, but he was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha recently. Speculations are rife that Amravati MP Navneet Rana from the Yuva Swabhimani Paksh (YSP) may contest on BJP’s symbol. In 2019, she had fought on an NCP ticket. CM Eknath Shinde-led Sena is not ready to leave Ramtek, Yavatmal-Washim and Buldhana. BJP’s city unit has already staked its claim on Ramtek seat, which is now a bone of contention between the partners.Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis told media on Thursday that discussions between the three allies is underway. “There has been a breakthrough for 80% of the seats. Maharashtra’s second list would be out soon,” he said. State BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule clarified that among the seats on which BJP’s partners were staking claim, the Baramati seat has been finalized for the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. “Other seats will be decided soon. We will would retain 25 seats of 2019 polls and discussion has been held with Sena and NCP over 7-8 seats. Seat would be distributed after exploring the winning probability of each party and its candidate,” he told the media, adding that BJP’s central leadership would take the final decision on seat sharing.