BJP Brainstorms Over All 288 Seats In Maharashtra At Core Group Meet, Likely To Repeat Many Sitting MLAs

The BJP held its Maharashtra BJP core group meeting, which was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in New Delhi on October 14. (Image: PTI/File)

Sources said unlike other states, the BJP is likely to repeat a big chunk of its sitting MLAs. They also indicated that the first list may have names of senior MLAs and sitting ministers

The BJP may have fought for 164 seats in the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, but on Monday, during its core committee meeting, the party deliberated on all 288 seats in the poll-bound state.

“BJP ko sampoorn Maharashtra ka khayal rakhna hai,” a source, who is deputed with a key responsibility for Maharashtra, told News18. The source indicated that the BJP is taking a holistic approach, not leaving seats on its side to fate but offering data to help them win and improve the total tally of seats.

According to sources in the BJP, unlike other states, the saffron party is likely to repeat a big chunk of its sitting MLAs. They also indicated that the first list may have names of senior MLAs and sitting ministers.

On seat-sharing arrangements with its allies in the Mahayuti, sources further said this will soon be final and in a way that “everyone is happy”. “Take it from me, no one is going anywhere,” the source said. But, how will the BJP do it? “Woh humari kala hai (that is our expertise),” the source replied.

The party has convened its central election committee (CEC) meeting on October 16, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior BJP leaders like Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh among others. Sources also said during the core group meeting, the BJP explored the opportunity to put out an agenda for the high-level meeting ahead.

What is the agenda? The MPs from Maharashtra, who were fielded in the recently held Lok Sabha elections and lost, and if they can contest the assembly polls. But, this is dependent on a nod from the CEC.