Maharashtra Elections 2019: BJP, Shiv Sena Finalise Alliance; Seat-Sharing To Be Announced Soon

Senior state BJP minister Chandrakant Patil said, on Monday, that Shiv Sena and BJP have finalised the seat-sharing deal for the Maharashtra assembly elections 2019.

Image: PTI

New Delhi: Alliance between Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party and other allies for the Maharashtra Assembly elections was announced officially on Monday. The seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties has also been finalized and will be announced soon. Senior state BJP minister Chandrakant Patil said, on Monday, that Shiv Sena and BJP have finalised the seat-sharing deal for the Maharashtra assembly elections 2019. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will announce the quantum of seat sharing through a joint statement The development comes a day after Thackeray handed out mandatory A-B forms - a form which mentions the official party candidate - to his party’s candidates, including to son Aaditya Thackeray. Aaditya Thackeray will become the first Thackeray to contest an election. He said on Monday that he will contest the Worli assembly segment in Mumbai. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had earlier said his party will snap ties with BJP, if it was not given 144 seats in the 288-members Assembly to contest in the upcoming elections. While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday reiterated that BJP and Sena will contest the Assembly polls in Maharashtra together and are working on the seat-sharing agreement. On the other hand, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on September 16 had said that talks are going on with Shiv Sena regarding seat-sharing and a decision will be taken soon. The BJP and Shiv Sena contested 2014 state assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula. However, they formed the government in the alliance after the elections as none of them was able to secure the majority on its own. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had earlier said his party will snap ties with BJP if it was not given 144 seats in the 288-members Assembly to contest in the upcoming elections. The last date of submission of nomination forms is October 4. The Election Commission of India has announced single-phase voting for Maharashtra Assembly elections on October 21 and the counting of votes is scheduled on October 24.