MUMBAI: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the seat-sharing formula for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections among the Mahayuti constituents BJP, Shiv Sena and the (Ajit Pawar-led) NCP has almost been finalised for Maharashtra, and it is proposed that while BJP will contest 26 seats, Senaand NCP together will contest 22.

Maharashtra has 48 LS seats in all.BJP had fought 25 LS seats in 2019 and the then-undivided Shiv Sena 23, with the BJP winning 23 and Sena 18.On the row over Maratha reservation in the past couple of months and the OBCs speaking out against any dilution of their quota, Fadnavis told TOI in an interview that the series of agitations across the state had not only affected the law and order situation but he feared it could have an adverse impact on investments in the state.

“We will have to tackle these issues on a war footing before it is too late.

I, the CM (Eknath Shinde) and deputy CM Ajit Pawar are seized of the matter,” he said, adding that he expected the quota row to be resolved before the LS polls.

He dismissed reports of differences within the three-party alliance as “false and baseless.”Fadnavis said the Mahayuti under the leadership of Eknath Shinde was united in the real sense and there were no chinks in it.

“Shinde is firmly in the saddle, and there is no substance in reports saying a change in leadership is on the cards.

I am also not contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

As stated earlier, I will be party nominee from my traditional seat in Nagpur for the assembly elections,” he said.Speaking on the norms for allotment of LS seats, Fadnavis said that during informal meetings with leaders of NCP and Shiv Sena, it has been decided that elective merit and renomination of sitting MPs will be the main formula for selection of candidates.

“We have completed the survey of all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, and we have basic information on candidates who are likely to win.

So far as those candidates who were elected in 2019 are concerned, it is a convention to renominate them.

Certainly, this is not the final word, and discussions and negotiations will be held at different levels before a final decision is taken,” Fadnavis added.Fadnavis said the real campaigning for the LS elections will begin after the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur, to be held in December.

“We have proposed that once the Nagpur session is over, there will be constituency-wise meetings of office- bearers of all three parties – BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP.

It will be ensured that even if a BJP candidate is contesting a particular seat, workers of Shiv Sena and NCP will campaign for him/her as if he/she is their candidate.

The same principle will apply for nominees of the Shiv Sena and NCP,” he said.On the resolution of the quota row, Fadnavis said, “Our effort will be ensure that all disputes are settled to the satisfaction of all sections of society.

Certainly, my government is concerned over the issues raised by agitators across the state, and we will try to resolve them amicably and within the framework of law.”Fadnavis said the government led by him (2014-2019) had enacted a law to provide reservation to the Marathas, but it was struck down by the Supreme Court.

“We have carefully examined the issues raised by the apex court.

We have set up a committee of experts which will examine the SC verdict and work out a new formula for providing reservation to the Marathas.

It will stand the scrutiny of law.

We will ensure that reservation provided to OBCs will not be disturbed in any manner,” he noted.Fadnavis further said that it was unfortunate that at a juncture when the three-party government was making serious efforts to provide reservation to the Marathas, political parties were taking undue advantage of the situation.

“We are prepared to hear them if they have concrete proposals,” he added.On the LS elections, he said he was sure the Mahayuti would win at least 40 to 42 seats in the state.

“We know the undercurrents in the state as well as in the country.

People are in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP will improve its performance compared to the 2019 LS elections.”