Ajit Pawar, chief of the National Congress Party (NCP), announced the completion of the first round of seat-sharing discussions within the Mahayuti alliance ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, emphasizing that merit will guide the allocation of the 288 seats. The alliance plans to convene again to finalize the distribution. In response to controversial remarks from Shiv Sena leader Tanaji Sawant, who expressed dissatisfaction with the alliance, Pawar chose not to comment, maintaining his focus on work. Pawar also visited the site of the collapsed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, assuring that efforts are underway to rebuild the memorial and hold those responsible accountable. The elections will see competition between the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition and the Mahayuti Alliance, with the former performing better in recent Lok Sabha elections. The Election Commission has yet to announce the election dates.