As the Lok Sabha elections loom merely three months away, the Grand Alliance finds itself embroiled in a web of conflicting claims and counter-claims regarding seat sharing. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had initially declared that the BJP would contest 26 seats. However, the Ajit Pawar group and the Shinde group have now entered the fray, asserting their own claims in this political tussle.
As per Fadnavis' assertion, discussions had centered around Pawar and Shinde securing the remaining 11 seats. However, in a recent development, Ajit Pawar has declared that his faction will field candidates in all four constituencies currently held by NCP MPs, reigniting tensions and renewed claims within the Shinde-Pawar faction.
Hemant Patil, the MP from Hingoli, has asserted that the Eknath Shinde group is set to contest 13 seats, backed by a promise from Amit Shah. Patil revealed that Shinde personally communicated with Amit Shah, emphasizing the group's intention to vie for 13 Lok Sabha seats based on the understanding reached during their conversation.
During today's rally, the Ajit Pawar faction revealed its candidacy for four seats, namely Satara, Shirur, Raigad, and Baramati. Notably, it has been confirmed that Ajit Pawar's group will field a candidate against Supriya Sule, and Ajit Pawar himself will contest against Sharad Pawar's close associate in the Satara constituency. The political circles are now abuzz with discussions about the upcoming nomination process, particularly considering that both factions have submitted affidavits appearing to align with Sharad Pawar at present.