The process of nomination for assembly elections is going on in Maharashtra. The seats have been divided between the two alliances, the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi. The few seats on which there was dispute will be resolved by late night on Monday as Tuesday, October 29, is the last date for filing nominations. Even after this, if some candidates remain in the fray, efforts will be made to withdraw their names. Keep in mind that there are candidates from six parties of both the alliances, who are in the fray by filling nomination papers without the names being declared by the party. Apart from them, there are also rebels from six parties, efforts are on to convince them. But in this entire process, the talk of declaring a contender for the post of Chief Minister is not being heard from anywhere.
Uddhav Thackeray was the most vocal before the nominations started. He wanted that anyone should be declared a contender for the post of Chief Minister. First, they tried hard to make him the CM face and contest the MVA elections. For this, he sat in Delhi for several days and met Congress leaders. But when it was not successful, he started saying that if MVA declares any leader as CM candidate, he is ready to support him. He had also challenged Mahayuti to declare him as the CM face and contest the elections. But no one’s name was taken from there either. Even the name of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is not being discussed. It seems that now it has been decided in principle on both sides that the elections have to be fought without any face.
That’s why the indirect fight has started. In the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi, there is a competition to stake claim for the post of CM by contesting the most seats, while the message from Mahayuti is to stake claim for the post of Chief Minister by winning the most seats i.e. by becoming the largest party. BJP leader and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that BJP will not win the elections alone but it will be the largest party. Even now BJP is the largest party but the present government was formed by breaking Shiv Sena, hence BJP’s CM was not made. But this time, if the situation arises to become the largest party and form the government, the CM will be from BJP. Fadnavis is the only clear contender there.
On the contrary, in Maha Vikas Aghadi, there is a fight to contest the maximum number of seats before becoming the largest party. Earlier it was being said that Congress would contest the maximum number of seats. At that time the formula of 105, 94 and 85 was also decided. But later the formula for sharing 85-85 seats among the three parties was made, then the talk of sharing 90-90 seats came up. Shiv Sena has decided that it will not allow Congress to contest more seats than itself. Because the message of whoever contests more seats will become the CM among the public. Keep in mind that it is very important for Uddhav that the message of becoming the CM of his party should be sent. If this does not happen then Shiv Sainiks may not get unilateral support. Then they can also look towards Eknath Shinde.