No breakthrough yet, BJP blames Sena for impasse

Reports emerged that BJP and Shiv Sena, two grand old coalition partner of NDA struck a seta sharing deal for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections due nect month which was hanging in balance for quite some time.

According to media reports, in the deal which was supposedly cracked on late Wednesday night, the BJP agreed to contest in 119 seats after climbing down from its earlier demand of 135.

The report also mentioned that the recent setback suffered by BJP in the recent-concluded by-elections being the reason being BJP’s ‘blinking’.

But Amit Shah on Thursday dismissed such rumors.

Speaking to reporters in the capital, Amit Shah made it clear that BJP is not going to lose its self-respect in lieu of some seats.

“Talks with Shiv Sena over seat-sharing are still on, no agreement has been reached on the issue as yet,” Shah is quoted by media as saying.

According to media reports, Shah assed, "We have moved two steps, now it is your turn. The BJP wants the matter to be solved keeping our self respect intact.”

It has been learnt, addressing a meeting of party workers in Delhi after his arrival Shah asserted that this time it will be a BJP government in Maharashtra.

BJP President alleged, Sena is not responding to its partner.

“I have told state BJP leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Vinod Tawde to resolve the alliance issue quickly. They said they were trying their best but were not getting response,” Shah is quoted as saying.

The future of BJP-Shiv Sena’s grand old alliance of arrived at tenterhooks over seat-sharing logjam which has hogged limelight for past couple of weeks.

Despite stiff opposition from Sena, BJP kept on demanding that two parties should contest in 135 seats apiece out of the 288 Assembly seats, leaving 18 seats for their smaller allies. 

In the 2009 state polls, the Sena contested 169 of 288 seats while the BJP was given 119 seats. BJP also demanded the chief ministerial post.

The reason behind saffron party's demand is the "Modi magic" which engulfed the nation four months ago during the Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won 42 LS seats in Maharashtra out of the total 48.

Of them BJP won 23 while the Sena won 18.

But both of these demands were turned down by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and soon the war-of words followed between these 2 “Mahayuti” or grand allies.

Reacting to Sena’s dismissal of proposal, BJP stepped up the pressure on its alliance partner by saying that failure to comply will mean BJP might go alone in polls. 

But instead of bowing down to pressure, the Sena also made it clear that equal seat-sharing with its decade old-ally is not possible.

Shiv Sena made it clear that excessive lust leads to divorce and the allies in a coalition must dream of a victory first.

Attacking the coalition partner in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamna’, the Sena chief reiterated that his party is not going to “compromise” on seat-sharing.

But after the huge setback suffered by BJP in the by-elections, rumor was spreading in the political circles that BJP is now in no position to deal, as Amit Shah arrived in Mumbai for final round of talks.

Just before that, Sena fired a fresh salvo at its 25-year old coaltion partner by saying, “The by-election results are a lesson for BJP ahead of the Maharashtra elections.”

Sena warned BJP by adding, “Don’t let success go to your head, keep your feet on the ground.”

“It's still not too late…If BJP leaders in Maharashtra are still banking on the Modi wave, I wish them luck,” said Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam.

It has been learnt, on Wednesday a meeting was held at Shiv Sena’s Dadar office where party chief Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders including district heads Taluka heads were present to discuss strategy and possibility of alliance with the saffron party. 

According to sources, the Sainiks are now contemplating contesting elections on its own instead of continuing the alliance with the BJP, if they doesn’t agree.