23 September,2024 03:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CM Shinde with Raj Thackeray. Pic/X
In a significant political development ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray on Monday met Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
The meeting has sparked speculation regarding potential alliances and strategies as political parties gear up for the crucial polls. The discussions between Raj Thackeray and CM Shinde took place at the Chief Minister's official residence, Varsha.
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CM Shinde also shared pictures of his meeting with MNS chief on X.
The elections to 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra are likely to be held in November.
In the current assembly, the BJP is the single largest party with 103 MLAs, followed by Shiv Sena 40, NCP 41, Congress 40, Shiv Sena (UBT) 15, NCP (SP) 13 and others 29. Some seats are vacant.
Seat share for the upcoming Maharashtra polls between the Mahayuti alliance parties are yet to be finalised.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said that his party Republican Party of India (RPI-A), an ally in the ruling Mahayuti, should get to contest on at least 10 to 12 seats in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections 2024.
Addressing a press conference in Maharashtra's Nagpur, Ramdas Athawale said the RPI-A will contest the election on its party symbol and ask for three to four seats in Vidarbha, including north Nagpur, Umred (Nagpur), Umarkhed in Yavatmal and Washim, reported the PTI.
Ramdas Athawale's party is part of the Mahayuti alliance which comprises of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The Union minister said, "The RPI-A has made a list of 18 probable seats, which it will be sharing with the Mahayuti partners in a few days and expects to get at least 10 to 12 seats in the seat-sharing pact," as per the PTI.
Ramdas Athawale said that the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP should give four seats each from their quota for his party.
Ramdas Athawale had earlier claimed that due to the inclusion of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP in the Mahayuti government, the RPI (A) did not get any ministerial berth in the state despite a promise.
