Fadnavis Given Full Authority for BJP's Seat-Sharing Decisions Ahead of Assembly Polls

The BJP has appointed Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to oversee seat-sharing and negotiations with allies for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. This move, announced by the party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar, aims to expedite decision-making and streamline preparations. BJP leaders, including Union ministers, attended a core committee meeting to finalize strategy.

The BJP announced on Sunday that its senior leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will take the decisions over seat-sharing and negotiations with allies for the upcoming assembly polls in the state.

BJP's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar told reporters, "The core committee (of the state unit) convened in Mumbai to delegate all decision-making powers concerning seat-sharing and the selection of assembly constituencies to Fadnavis." The move aims to prevent undesired delays by streamlining the preparations for the assembly elections due in a few months, he said.

Party observer and Union minister Bhupendra Yadav, BJP national secretary Vinod Tawde, Union minister and Mumbai North MP Piyush Goyal also attended the meeting in Mumbai.

Of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, the BJP had won 104 in 2019. Shelar confirmed the finalisation of the "formula for winning besides the planning and seat-sharing arrangements with the allies". "Fadnavis has been granted full authority in this regard," he said.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, also comprising Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, won only 17 of the 48 seats in the state in the recent Lok Sabha polls. The BJP's tally came down to nine from 23 five years ago. By contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi, consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), bagged 30 seats.

Shelar said, "We have decided to save time by streamlining the planning, discussions, and decision-making processes with all the NDA constituents to finalise the candidates. Once this is done, we can begin preparations for the assembly polls. The list of candidates will be released at the appropriate time."

(With inputs from agencies.)