Maharashtra | Why NDA finds itself in seat-sharing conundrum days ahead of elections

Even as the Maharashtra is all set to go to polls in the first five phases starting April 19, the NDA led by the BJP has only been able to name 33 out of the 48 candidates in the state that sends the maximum number of MPs to the Lok Sabha after Uttar Pradesh.

The BJP and its alliance partners – Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar – are yet to resolve the issue of division of seats, which is evident from the fact that they’re yet to declare their candidates on almost one third of the seats in Maharashtra. Though the BJP has done well in announcing 24 of its candidates, the Shinde faction of the Sena has declared eight of its nominees. The NCP (Ajit Pawar) is trailing on this account as it has formally announced only the candidature of Ajit’s wife Sunetra Pawar from the family bastion of Baramati.

Challenges galore

Among the constituencies, which the ruling alliance is finding it tough to take a call on, include Nashik, Satara, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Thane, Osmanabad, Palghar, and Mumbai South.

The NDA is also yet to announce its candidates from Parbhani, Aurangabad, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North Central, Raigad, Shirur, Kalyan, and Yavatmal-Washim constituencies.

Both the BJP and the Ajit-led NCP are eyeing Satara Lok Sabha constituency. The BJP is contemplating to field its Rajya Sabha MP Udayanraje Bhosale who is also the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The NCP has also staked its claim on the seat and also reportedly approached Bhosale, suggesting that he contest on its ticket. However, he turned down the offer and is now planning to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resolve the issue.

Satara is currently represented by NCP (SP) MP Shriniwas Patil who has told party chief Sharad Pawar that he won’t be able to contest the upcoming polls on account of ill health. Interestingly, the name of former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is doing the rounds for Satara seat from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

As per media reports, the BJP has decided to retain Satara and give Nashik to the NCP which may field its senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal from the constituency. However, this move too has caused trouble in the ruling alliance as sitting Nashik MP Hemant Godse of the Sena has held a series of meetings with CM Shinde to discuss the matter.

The BJP has also staked its claim on Palghar constituency which is seen as its stronghold. The party had given this seat to the undivided Shiv Sena in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Now, the BJP wants to contest the seat with sitting Sena MP Rajendra Gavit as its candidate, but the Sena is in no mood to give up its claim.

Tussle on CM’s turf

Notably, the Shiv Sena and the BJP are also at loggerheads in CM Shinde’s stronghold of Thane. Neither of the two parties are ready to cede space. The BJP has attributed its claim to the fact that they have a better organisational base and they have a good candidate in the form of Ganesh Naik. However, Shinde has made it clear that his close aide Ravi Phatak has already hit the ground running and he cannot back off now.

The BJP’s unwillingness to give up the prestigious Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency has also not gone down well with the Shiv Sena, which has emphasised that the seat was given to the undivided Sena in the last general elections. Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena (UBT) is the sitting MP from Mumbai South. However, there are reports that Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar and state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, both from the BJP, are keen on contesting the seat.

Similarly, the Sena is reluctant to part ways with Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri Lok Sabha seat from where the BJP is mulling to field Union Minister Narayan Rane. The constituency is currently represented by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut.

Multiple claims

Meanwhile, in the Marathwada region, where the Maratha quota agitation may emerge as a key factor, the constituencies of Aurangabad and Osmanabad have also witnessed claims and counter-claims from the Sena and the BJP.

Incidentally, Aurangabad was the sole constituency won by AIMIM in Maharashtra in the last general elections. Imtiaz Jaleel of the AIMIM had defeated Chandrakant Khaire of the undivided Sena in 2019. The tussle over Osmanabad may be the trickiest to resolve as all three NDA constituents are staking a claim on the seat currently held by Omraje Nimbalkar of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Apart from the internal feud in the alliance, the indecisiveness of the parties over their candidates has also led to the delay. For instance, the Sena is yet to take a call on its candidate from Yavatmal-Washim constituency as doubts are being raised over the candidature of sitting MP Bhawna Gawli.

Among the three alliance partners, the NCP is trailing as it has announced its candidate from the high-profile seat of Baramati only, though it was also allotted Shirur and Raigad. The delay is being attributed to the ongoing tussle.

More trouble

Adding to the seat-sharing woes of the NDA is the recent entry of Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP) led by Mahadev Jankar and the ongoing talks with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Though a formal decision on inducting MNS in the NDA is still awaited, Raj is eyeing Mumbai South constituency. Similarly, Jankar is keen on contesting from Parbhani seat.

Interestingly, it is not only the seat-sharing that is causing trouble to the ruling alliance. Its candidates for the first phase of polls on April 19 have already started facing the rebellion.

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad has filed his nomination from the Buldhana Lok Sabha constituency even though the NDA had retained sitting MP Pratap Jadhav for the seat for the fourth time. Similarly, after opposing sitting MP Navneet Rana's candidature from Amravati Lok Sabha seat, NDA ally and Achalpur MLA Bachchu Kadu raised the banner of revolt by fielding former Sena (UBT) corporator, Dinesh Bub, against her. The former district Sena (UBT) chief will now contest on Kadu's Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) symbol.