Sena-BJP likely to contest Lok Sabha polls together; may settle for 50-50 seat sharing arrangement

This comes after Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray during his recent Marathwada visit had attacked BJP over drought saying no talks of alliance with BJP shall happen unless relief to farmers of the drought prone Marathwada region is provided.

New Delhi: Amid consistent jibes between Bharatiya Janta Party and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the two are likely to continue with their alliance and contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls together. As per sources, the two have come to a 50-50 formula for seat sharing. As per reports, both Sena and BJP will be contesting on 24 seats each; and Uddhav Thackeray’s party has sought Palghar and Hatkanangale seats to contest the polls. The same was decided in the Maharashtra state BJP executive meeting at Jalna near Aurangabad on Monday. The meeting took place in State President Raosaheb Danve's home. This comes after Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray during his recent Marathwada visit had attacked BJP over drought saying no talks of alliance with BJP shall happen unless relief to farmers of the drought prone Marathwada region is provided. The meeting mainly focused on the preparations of Lok Sabha polls. All top state leaders and state in charge Saroj Pande attended the meeting. The BJP has made conciliatory sounds in recent months. After the public bonhomie between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Thackeray over a memorial being built for Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, senior BJP leader and Maharashtra revenue minister Chandrakant Patil told reporters last week that the alliance could be announced “any moment", adding the BJP was keen to have Shiv Sena on board. The relations between BJP and Sena have strained over the last few years and the same has been made very evident by the latter party via consistent jibes at the former in their mouthpiece Saamna.