Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Maharashtra seat-sharing stalemate ends as BJP's ally Ajit Pawar-led NCP agrees to contest on 4 seats

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar. (File Photo)

The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, consisting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, has reportedly made significant progress in their deliberations on seat allocation after days of intense discussions.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners have come to a consensus on allocating four seats for Ajit Pawar's faction within the NCP. Under the leadership of Sharad Pawar's nephew, the "authentic" NCP will nominate candidates from Baramati, Raigarh, Shirur, and Parbhani. Furthermore, in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May, the BJP is slated to contest on 31 seats, while the Shiv Sena is poised to get 13 seats, NDTV reported, citing sources.

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Moneycontrol could not verify the report independently.

The Baramati constituency carries significant weight as a longstanding stronghold of the Pawar family, who have held considerable sway over it for many years. Yet, its significance has been dramatically heightened in the current election cycle due to the rebellion of Ajit Pawar. His departure from the party and subsequent alignment with the NDA has caused a notable rift within the party and among its supporters. So, the battle for the Baramati seat has become exceptionally crucial and closely scrutinised amid this escalated political upheaval.

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Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar, currently represents the Baramati seat in the Lok Sabha. As the general elections approach, she is expected to face her sister-in-law, Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, in what promises to be a closely watched electoral showdown. Both factions have launched vigorous campaigning efforts in the constituency.

Maharashtra, with its contribution of 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, holds significant importance in the electoral landscape, second only to Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs. The state's role is further highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious goal of securing 370 seats and pushing the NDA's total tally to the 400-mark.

Ajit Pawar has nominated Sunil Tatkare, the Maharashtra president of the NCP and the incumbent MP, as the candidate to defend the Raigarh constituency. Tatkare is likely to face Anant Geete, who is expected to be nominated by Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena.

Reports suggest that in the Shirur constituency, the NCP is weighing the candidacy options of Pradeep Kand and Adhalrao Patil, both of whom are currently not aligned with the party.