Maharashtra elections 2024: CM Shinde, Dy CMs Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar to address press conference, seat-sharing formula likely

Mahayuti leaders are likely to address a press conference on Tuesday at 02:30 pm. The press conference will take place at the MCA Hall in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well as deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will address the press conference. 

They might announce the seat-sharing formula between the Mahayuti allies, India Today reported. The Mahayuti comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CM Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP. 

As per media reports, the BJP is likely to contest anywhere between 150-155 seats, the Sena on 90-95 seats and the NCP 40-45 seats. The BJP's top brass, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and JP Nadda, held a meeting with its core group from Maharashtra.

BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Deputy CM Fadnavis and party's national general secretary Vinod Tawde were also present in the meeting. On the lines of Haryana, the BJP is aiming to consolidate the Other Backward Classes (OBC) with other communities to take on the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). 

In the northern state, the saffron party focused on non-Jat communities like OBCs and Dalits, who together comprise over 60 per cent of the electorate. The BJP is also facing a dual challenge in the form of Maratha quota issue and agrarian distress.

Despite this, the saffron party is hopeful of getting Maratha votes along with allies -- Shiv Sena and NCP.

Besides this, the Mahayuti is also facing criticism from the opposition over its flagship Mukhyamanti Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme. MVA allies have questioned the scheme's financial feasibility, claiming the Shinde governemnt lacks the funds to sustain such a large initiative. 

Launched in August this year, the scheme provides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women aged between 21 to 65 years. In order to qualify for the scheme, women must belong to families with an annual income of not more than Rs 2.5 lakh. The state government has earmarked a budget of around Rs 46,000 crore for this scheme.