Maharashtra assembly elections 2024: Mahayuti partners still in talks over 11 of 288 seats, says Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar. File Pic

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar said on Friday that the Mahayuti allies are still in talks over 11 of the 288 assembly seats for the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, reported news agency PTI.

Pawar said that 10 per cent of the seats allotted to his party will be kept for minority candidates.

"I have already announced some names. Discussions are on for 11 seats. We can't make everyone happy," said Pawar, who will face off with his nephew Yugendra Pawar of NCP (SP) on his home turf Baramati in the Pune district, reported PTI.

The BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition.

Pawar was in Delhi on Thursday to hold discussions with the BJP leadership.

The BJP has announced its first list of 99 candidates so far, while the NCP has brought out two lists declaring its nominees in 45 constituencies. The Shiv Sena has shared the names of 45 candidates, reported PTI.

The Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 to the 288-member assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.

Maharashtra election 2024: Zeeshan Siddique, two former BJP MPs on NCP's second list

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Friday released its second list, comprising seven candidates including MLA Zeeshan Siddique and two former BJP MPs, for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections 2024.

Zeeshan had been suspended from Congress for cross-voting in the recent legislative council elections. His father and Congress veteran Baba Siddique had crossed over to the NCP, a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, earlier this year.

Former BJP MP Pratap Chikhalikar, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Nanded, has been nominated from Loha.

BJP ex-MP Sanjay Kaka Patil, who unsuccessfully contested from Sangli in the general elections, has been given an NCP ticket. He also joined the party on Friday.

Sanjay Kaka Patil will face off with NCP (SP) candidate Rohit Patil, son of late NCP leader R R Patil, in Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal constituency in Sangli district.

Nishikant Patil will take on NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil in Islampur, while Sana Malik, daughter of former minister Nawab Malik, has been nominated from Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai.

NCP has given the ticket to Sunil Tingre from Wadgaon Sheri in Pune.

It has picked Dnyaneshwar Katke from Shrirur. Until recently, Katke was the Pune district chief of the Uddhav Thackeray-led NCP (SP).

Earlier, NCP had released its first list featuring 38 candidates. NCP, BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are the constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra.

(With inputs from PTI)