Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday dismissed reports that all is not well between his party and close ally BJP and said that talks are on between the two sides over sharing of seats for the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra.
“I have put forth my views before the BJP central leadership and talks are on,”Shiv Sena national president said.
“We are in alliance with BJP for 25 years and I want it to continue. I want the BJP-Sena alliance to win polls in Maharashtra. I have said this openly that both BJP and Sena contesting on 135 seats is not feasible. I have kept my demand before the BJP top brass and talks are on,” the Shiv Sena chief added.
Uddhav also asked Shiv Sena leaders not to give any statement that further damages the age old ties between the two parties until a resolution is found on the issue.
Interestingly, BJP senior leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy is scheduled to meet Uddhav Thackeray this evening to hold talks over the seat sharing issue.
The two parties are at loggerheads over the seat sharing issue.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had recently expressed his desire to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the first time, evoking a cautious response from ally BJP that the matter will be discussed after the polls are over.
BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy had on Sunday said that the party will look to contest the upcoming legislative assembly elections in Maharashtra from 135 of the total 288 seats.
Speaking at a press conference, Rudy said, "The BJP has full faith in all of its allies. We have proposed that the seats remaining after allotting the share of seats to smaller alliance partners be divided equally between BJP and Shiv Sena. We hope to finalise the seat sharing before party president Amit Shah's visit to Pune on September 18."
"In the last legislative assembly elections in 2009, the BJP contested from 119 seats, while the Shiv Sena contested from 169 seats. This time, leaving aside the share of seats of smaller alliance partners, we are left with around 270 seats, of which BJP will be looking to contest from 135," Rudy added.
The Maharashtra state assembly elections are scheduled to be held on October 15, with the counting of the votes to take place on October 19.
