The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to announce the seat-sharing arrangement in Maharashtra on Thursday for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as per ABP News sources. Under the seat-sharing agreement, the Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to contest on around 31-32 seats while the Shinde factions's Shiv Sena could get 12-13 seats.
Ajit Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party could contest the Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra on around 4 seats under the seat-sharing plan, as per the sources.
Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which was formed in 2007 and has since never contested polls in an alliance is also likely to join the NDA. If MNS joins the alliance, the NDA could field a candidate from the party for the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat, as per sources.
On Tuesday, Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi further cementing the speculation that the saffron party is looking to ally with him to boost the alliance in the western state.
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Following the meeting, senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said in Mumbai that the talks between the two leaders were "positive" and that the details of the meeting will be shared in a day or two, reported news agency PTI.
Raj Thackeray had parted ways from the Shiv Sena, when it was undivided and led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray, and formed his party MNS in 2006. While Raj is seen as a firebrand orator and enjoys a certain following, his party has since failed to create any impact.
He has drawn sharp reactions from political parties, including the BJP, in the past for his controversial remarks against north Indians.
The Tuesday meeting was also criticised by the Maha Vikas Aghadi camp as the Congress accused the BJP of "betraying" north Indians.