Maharashtra BJP Chief Calls for ‘Sacrifices’ in Seat-Sharing Ahead of Assembly Polls

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 16th Oct. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated on Wednesday that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde must be prepared to make “sacrifices” regarding seat-sharing for the upcoming assembly elections, mirroring the sacrifices made by the BJP to maintain the alliance.

His remarks come following the Election Commission’s announcement of the election schedule for the 288-member state assembly, with voting set for November 20 and counting on November 23.

“Chief Minister Eknath Shinde must remain open-minded and be willing to make sacrifices. We, too, have made sacrifices to uphold the alliance. It is evident that the BJP aims to contest the seats we previously held,” Bawankule told ABP Majha news channel in Nagpur. He emphasized that as the dominant party in the alliance, the BJP is justified in seeking more seats.

When asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s reported comments regarding the BJP’s sacrifice of the chief minister’s post while forming the alliance with Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Bawankule stated, “I do not know what Union Minister Amit Shah said to Shinde. It is true that the chief minister holds the highest position and represents the government.”

Bawankule further indicated that they have urged Shinde to recognize that as the larger party, the BJP deserves a more substantial share of the seats. He acknowledged that it is challenging to quantify who has made greater sacrifices.

“As the chief minister, he could have expected more seats to contest in the assembly polls. However, it is not feasible to enter the elections with tension within the alliance. Our stance is that we should be able to contest the seats we have previously won,” Bawankule noted, adding that there is no point in demanding more seats for the sake of numbers.

Regarding the agenda for a BJP leaders’ meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, Bawankule mentioned that they would discuss candidates and the seats they wish to contest, particularly focusing on those they lost by narrow margins in the 2019 assembly elections. He clarified that discussions would not cover seats won by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena or Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-headed NCP.

Bawankule also confirmed that the BJP has conducted a comprehensive survey for Maharashtra, which will inform the discussions in Delhi.

On the possibility of seat swaps with alliance partners, he said, “We may consider swapping a few seats with Shiv Sena. Additionally, there are strong candidates from both BJP and NCP, as the NCP contested against us in the 2019 assembly polls. We need more time to take a final decision in this matter.”

As a member of the state legislative council, Bawankule mentioned he would not seek a ticket from the party. “I won the Kamthi assembly seat in 2014, but the party asked me not to contest the 2019 polls. I have been working as the BJP state president since some time. The party will take a final decision on whether I should contest the election or not. The BJP will win the Kamthi seat irrespective of the candidate,” he concluded.