'Devendra Fadnavis final authority on candidates for BMC polls'

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will take a final call on selection of the BJP candidates for upcoming BMC polls.

"Fadnavis himself will be carefully screening the candidates for ensuing BMC elections (due next year)," BJP's city unit president Ashish Shelar told reporters today.

He, however, evaded a query on prospects of a seat-sharing pact with its junior alliance partner Shiv Sena.

However, sources in the BJP said the party would want Sena to allocate them 110 out of total 227 seats.

According to sources, the CM himself has taken charge of the party's preparation for the polls.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, ruled by Sena in alliance with the BJP, is the country's richest civic body.

However, Sena leader and Industries Minister Subhash Desai said his party would contest all 227 seats though the BJP has been stating that it was keen for an alliance with Sena for BMC elections.

Desai said Sena has learnt its lessons from the experience it had with the BJP in run-up to 2014 Assembly elections when BJP kept negotiating on seat sharing till last minute before calling off the alliance ahead of polls.

"Hence, Sena is ready with its plans to contest all 227 seats irrespective of materialisation of pre-poll alliance with the BJP," Desai said.