MUMBAI: The ruling Mahayuti coalition—BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP—in Maharashtra will not project incumbent CM Eknath Shinde or anyone else as chief minister for the assembly polls due next month. This was decided when Shinde, deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders on Friday late night in Delhi. Sources said Prime Minister Modi’s face will be the key projection of the election for Mahayuti. “The leader to helm the alliance will be decided later. The BJP is learnt to have refused to give any commitment over the CM’s face pre- or post elections,” a source told TNIE.“The Mahayuti will contest elections under the collective leadership of all three parties and their leaderships. But no prominent leader or any particular face, neither from the BJP nor from Shiv Sena or the NCP, will be projected as the chief ministerial face,” another source said.In the Friday meeting, it was decided that of the total 288 Assembly seats, the BJP will contest between 155-160 seats, while the Shinde-led Shiv Sena will contest 80-85 and Ajit Pawar-led NCP 50-55 seats.In the Delhi meeting, incumbent CM Eknath Shinde insisted on projecting himself as the CM face, but BJP leaders and Ajit Pawar were reluctant.The BJP currently has 105 MLAs, Shinde’s Sena has 56, and Pawar has the support of 54 MLAs. As per the current strength of Mahayuti, there is no dispute over 210 seats, while the remaining seats will be distributed among the alliance partners.“The seat distribution was discussed in the Delhi meeting. There are only a few undecided seats, but the respective party leaders have agreed to make adjustments, including swapping of seats. The criteria for assigning the remaining seats will be winnability, strong candidate presence of the respective party, besides social dynamics,” said a senior Shiv Sena leader.The Mahayuti alliance is seeking to retain power in the November 20 polls for the 288-member Assembly.
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