NCP to Allocate 10% Seats to Minorities

Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, NCP leader Ajit Pawar announced that 10 percent of the seats his party contests will be allocated to minorities, primarily benefiting the Muslim community. This marks a notable shift for the NCP, which did not field any minority candidates in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Pawar's decision comes in response to controversial remarks made by BJP's Devendra Fadnavis about 'vote jihad', which he claimed affected the Mahayuti's performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The NCP, part of the Mahayuti alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena, is negotiating seat-sharing arrangements, with Pawar asserting a demand for 70-80 seats to contest. Notably, the NCP's outreach to minorities comes as tensions rise due to inflammatory statements from BJP officials, particularly MLA Nitesh Rane. The elections for the 288-member Assembly are scheduled for November, with the NCP emphasizing its commitment to secular representation.