Mahayuti seat-sharing talks for Maha polls to conclude in 10 days: BJP

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said seat-sharing talks for the assembly polls between the ruling allies will conclude in 10 days.

Chances of winning and not the number of seats contested will be the criteria, he told reporters in Nagpur. "The seat-sharing talks in Mahayuti will conclude in 10 days. We have decided that seats will be allotted on the basis of winnability. We will leave some seats for our allies. How many each will contest is not important. What is important is to have double engine government to ensure continuity of welfare schemes," he said.

Bawankule also said directives have been issued to all BJP functionaries to not make comments that could cause discord in the alliance, which also comprises Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Those violating this diktat will face strict action from the party, Bawankule added.

Earlier, on Saturday, CM Shinde, and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar held seat-sharing talks in Nagpur for the upcoming state assembly polls, which are likely to be held in October-November. Sources said the final seat-sharing formula would be arrived upon after two to three more meetings. Sources from the NCP said consensus has been arrived for 173 seats, with BJP getting the maximum share, followed by Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led party.

The remaining 115 seats will be finalised soon in a meeting of Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, CM Shinde as well as senior NCP leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel, these sources added.