Still no agreement on 11 seats: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar said on Friday that the Mahayuti allies are still in talks over 11 of the 288 assembly seats for the November 20 elections in the state.

IMAGE: NCP chief Ajit Pawar. Photograph: ANI Photo

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 Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar on his home turf Baramati in the Pune district.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, the NCP and the 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.

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