April 19, 2024 09:46 (IST)
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Maha polls: Shiv Sena makes final seat-sharing offer to BJP
Mumbai, Sept 21 (IBNS): In a final effort to save the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, Uddhav Thackeray's party proposed a "final" seat-sharing formula to the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday eyeing the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls.
According to reports, the Shiv Sena said it would contest from 151 seats, four seats less of its earlier demand of 155.
Under the new proposal, the smaller parties in the alliance will contest from 18 seats, while the BJP will contest 119 seats, which is the same number of seats it had contested in the 2009 state elections.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, "There is a tug of war in the alliance. What is happening right before elections is unfortunate. Seat distribution is a complicated affair."
Addressing a gathering on Sunday, Uddhav said the party needs more power to serve the people.
The Sena earlier wanted to contest from 155 of the 288 seats in the assembly and suggested that the BJP contest from 125 seats.
However, the BJP on Saturday rejected Shiv Sena's offer on seat sharing for the upcoming Maharashtra elections.
Speaking to media, Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said: "I met Uddhav Thackeray. I told him that we received the proposal... I informed that we cannot accept the proposal."
He said if the proposal is being considered then the party will need to contest lesser seats than the last election
Taking the verbal battle a level higher, Shiv Sena on Friday reacted strongly to its coalition partner for 25 years.
“In Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena is a party that gives, not a party that takes. We are not asking. We are giving. They should think about what they are asking,” media reports quoted Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut as saying.
He also said that, Shiv Sena was not going to compromise with Maharashtra’s self-respect, or the party’s self-respect.
“It is up to them to accept or not,” Raut added.
The reaction came hours after the BJP gave a 12-hour deadline to its Shiv Sena to decide on the issue of tough seat-sharing negotiation for the Maharashtra Assembly polls scheduled next month.
The BJP earlier said the party wants to contest a minimum of 130 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra assembly.
The BJP also demanded the chief ministerial post.
Both of the demands are dismissed by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray that led to a coalition impasse.
The ‘Mahayuti’ or grand coalition partners in NDA locked horns over seat sharing deadlock going on for weeks.
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