Mahayuti to sweep all 17 MLC seats, alliance rock solid: Eknath Shinde
Synopsis
With nominations for Maharashtra's 17 Legislative Council seats due by 1 June, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde has declared a clean sweep for the Mahayuti alliance and flatly dismissed the MVA's chances. His sweeping confidence — delivered from New Delhi — comes even as seat-sharing talks are still being finalised, making the next few days a real test of Mahayuti's much-advertised unity.
Key Takeaways
Eknath Shinde declared on 28 May that Mahayuti will win all 17 Maharashtra Legislative Council seats.
Seat-sharing among BJP , Shiv Sena , and NCP is yet to be finalised; nomination deadline is 1 June .
Shinde dismissed Sanjay Raut's claim that he feels 'suffocated' in the current government as an attempt to mislead the public.
BJP legislator Prasad Lad met Manoj Jarange over the Maratha reservation issue; Shinde cited past steps including a 10 per cent reservation and Kunbi certificates .
Shinde welcomed Assam's UCC implementation and said Maharashtra will examine the matter with a positive outlook.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday, 28 May declared that the Mahayuti alliance will contest all 17 Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) seats with full unity and emerge victorious across the board. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Shinde dismissed reports of internal discord and said the seat-sharing arrangement would be settled amicably ahead of the 1 June nomination deadline.
Shinde's Confidence on Seat-Sharing
The Deputy Chief Minister said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already outlined the seat-sharing framework, and that the alliance comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) remains firmly united. 'The Mahayuti alliance is strong and rock solid. We are working together and driving Maharashtra's development forward at a rapid pace,' Shinde stated.
When asked about the media's focus on the unresolved seat distribution, he pushed back, saying, 'Why is the media in such a rush?' — with nominations still days away.
Opposition MVA Dismissed
While the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) opposition bloc has announced it will field candidates for all 17 seats, Shinde was dismissive of their prospects, claiming they would fail to win a single seat. He argued that the Opposition's repeated claims of Mahayuti friction were attempts to mislead voters, driven by an inability to digest the ruling alliance's cohesion.
Responding directly to Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut's claim that Shinde feels 'suffocated' within the current government, the Deputy Chief Minister rejected the jibe outright. He also took aim at former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, alluding to the 'pitiful state' of those who once deployed extreme political rhetoric.
Maratha Reservation and Manoj Jarange
On the sensitive Maratha reservation issue, Shinde said the government remains deeply attentive to the community's concerns. He noted that BJP legislator Prasad Lad recently met activist Manoj Jarange to hear his demands directly.
Shinde recalled steps taken during his tenure as Chief Minister — including the issuance of Kunbi certificates, the formation of the Justice Shinde Committee, and a 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community — as evidence of the government's commitment. He also cited continued support through the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation and reiterated that the government hopes Jarange will not need to resort to another hunger strike.
Uniform Civil Code and Assam
Welcoming the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, Shinde congratulated Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He invoked Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's longstanding support for 'One Nation, One Law', and cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's repeated assertion that a single nation cannot operate under two legal systems.
Shinde framed the UCC as the third of Balasaheb Thackeray's major aspirations — after the construction of the Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370, both of which have been realised. He also clarified that the UCC would have no adverse impact on reservations for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST), or Tribal communities, pushing back against what he called deliberate misinformation.
Fadnavis-Modi Meeting
Addressing questions about Chief Minister Fadnavis' meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Shinde said coordinating with the Centre to advance Maharashtra's development is a fundamental responsibility of any state leader. With the MLC election cycle approaching and multiple political threads in play, the Mahayuti's ability to hold its coalition together will face its next public test on nomination day.
Point of View
The government's record of committees and certificates has not yet translated into a durable legal resolution, and Manoj Jarange's continued activism reflects that gap. Invoking Balasaheb Thackeray's UCC dream is shrewd politics — it places Shinde in the ideological mainstream of Hindutva while distancing him from the UBT faction's more cautious stance.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections Shinde is referring to?
These are elections for 17 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) , the upper house of the state legislature. The nomination deadline is 1 June 2025 , and the ruling Mahayuti alliance — comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP — is contesting all seats.
Has the Mahayuti seat-sharing formula been finalised?
As of 28 May , the seat-sharing formula had not been publicly announced. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has outlined the framework and that it will be settled respectfully before the nomination deadline.
What is the MVA's position in these elections?
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has stated it will contest all 17 seats. Shinde, however, dismissed their prospects, claiming the Opposition would fail to win even a single seat.
What has the government done on the Maratha reservation issue?
According to Shinde, the government issued Kunbi certificates , formed the Justice Shinde Committee , and provided a 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community during his tenure as Chief Minister. The government has also backed the community through the Annasaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation .
What did Shinde say about the Uniform Civil Code in Maharashtra?
Shinde welcomed Assam's implementation of the UCC and said Maharashtra will examine it with a positive outlook. He linked it to Balasaheb Thackeray's longstanding 'One Nation, One Law' position and clarified it would not affect reservations for SC/ST or Tribal communities.
