Amit Shah is set to visit Maharashtra amidst growing tensions within the NDA over seat-sharing issues and increasing dissatisfaction within the BJP.

BJP is facing internal differences as well as heat from allies over allotment of seats for LS polls in Vidarbha, North Maharashtra and Marathwada regions

In the midst of internal disputes within the ruling NDA coalition in Maharashtra, particularly concerning seat allocation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the state on Tuesday to address these issues, particularly focusing on Vidarbha, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra. Shah's visit follows the release of the BJP's initial list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, where no Maharashtra candidates were included. Although officially labeled as a launch of the party's campaign, insiders suggest the visit aims to resolve coalition differences and finalize details before candidate announcements.

State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule outlined Shah's agenda, including meetings in Akola to review key constituencies like Akola, Buldhana, Amravati, Chandrapur, and Wardha, where the BJP faces challenges with allies or candidates. One contentious issue involves the Amravati seat, with conflicting interests among coalition partners and the incumbent MP's pending case regarding her SC certificate. Additionally, in Chandrapur, disagreements persist over candidate selection, particularly between different community representations.

Vidarbha, with its ten seats, holds significant importance for the BJP's electoral ambitions in Maharashtra. Shah's itinerary includes addressing a youth gathering in Jalgaon, highlighting the party's focus on crucial voter demographics. However, North Maharashtra presents challenges, with the Republican Party of India (Athawale) contesting in Shirdi, complicating the alliance's dynamics. Marathwada, embroiled in the Maratha quota issue, sees friction between the BJP and Shiv Sena over the Sambhajinagar seat.

Similar tensions are evident in other regions like Konkan and Western Maharashtra, where seat disputes persist between the BJP and its allies. Despite assurances from Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis about fair seat allocation, NDA allies demand their share of seats. The BJP remains optimistic, asserting the importance of pragmatic negotiations and highlighting that every party's concerns will be considered in the seat-sharing talks.