No Change in Seat-sharing Formula for Maharashtra Polls, Says Uddhav Thackeray

In last one month, the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena have inducted nearly 12 senior Congress and NCP leaders, leading to speculations that both the saffron allies may contest the state Assembly polls separately, like in 2014.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said there is no change in the seat-sharing formula worked out with the BJP for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

In last one month, the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena have inducted nearly 12 senior Congress and NCP leaders, leading to speculations that both the saffron allies may contest the state Assembly polls separately, like in 2014.

When asked about it, Thackeray said the announcement of political alliance between the BJP and Shiv Sena was made ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year in Mumbai itself.

“There is no change in the seat-sharing formula we have worked out since then,” he told reporters here.

During a joint press conference addressed by BJP chief Amit Shah and Thackeray in February this year, the two parties said they would contest “an equal number of seats” and leave the remaining for other parties in the ruling alliance.

Last week, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said a seat-sharing agreement between his party and ally Shiv Sena will have to be “worked out” for the state polls, due in September-October, as the current situation leaves very few seats for new entrants.

He was responding to a query on whether the two parties would contest 135 seats each and leave 18 seats for smaller allies during polls for the 288-member state Assembly.

The BJP and Shiv Sena contested the 2014 state polls separately, but later came together to form the government in a post-poll arrangement that year.