Mumbai — Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday called on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to make “sacrifices” in seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming assembly elections, similar to what the BJP has done to maintain the alliance.
This statement comes following the Election Commission of India’s announcement of the schedule for polls to the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly. Voting will be held on November 20, with results to be declared on November 23.
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“Chief Minister Eknath Shinde must approach this with an open mind and be ready to make sacrifices, just as we have done to preserve the alliance,” Bawankule said in an interview with ABP Majha in Nagpur. “The BJP is naturally inclined to contest the seats we held previously.”
As the dominant party in the alliance, the BJP is expected to contest more seats, he noted. When asked about reports that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had mentioned the BJP “sacrificing” the chief minister’s post in its alliance with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Bawankule declined to comment on Shah’s exact words but acknowledged the importance of the chief minister’s role.
“The common sentiment among BJP workers is that even though Eknath Shinde holds the chief minister’s post, the BJP, with the majority of MLAs, should get more influence in terms of ministerial positions and posts in corporations,” Bawankule added.
He reiterated that the BJP has requested a larger share of seats in the upcoming elections, given its status as the bigger party in the alliance. “It is difficult to quantify who has made greater sacrifices,” he said, adding that going into elections with tensions between allies is not a viable strategy.
Bawankule also revealed that a meeting of BJP leaders in New Delhi was scheduled for Wednesday to discuss candidates and seats. “We will review the seats we won and the ones we narrowly lost in the 2019 elections,” he said, clarifying that there would be no discussion on seats held by Shinde’s Shiv Sena or Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s NCP during this meeting.
He added that the BJP had conducted a comprehensive survey in Maharashtra to guide discussions on seat-sharing. While the party may consider swapping a few seats with the Shiv Sena, Bawankule indicated that a final decision would take more time, particularly concerning seats where both the BJP and NCP have strong candidates.
On a personal note, Bawankule said he would not seek a ticket to contest the elections. “I won the Kamthi assembly seat in 2014, but in 2019 the party asked me not to contest. The decision on whether I will contest this time lies with the party, but I am confident the BJP will win the Kamthi seat, no matter the candidate,” he stated.
