Maharashtra: BJP, Shiv Sena alliance to be finalised soon?

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are soon likely to finalise an electoral alliance for the ensuing Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

The BJP is likely to contest approximately 160 seats while allotting 120 for the Shiv Sena 120, sources in the BJP claimed.

The remaining eight seats have been kept for small and regional NDA allies, a senior party leader said.

A formal announcement of the alliance was stuck as the Shiv Sena was demanding half of the seats in the total 288 seats.

The proposed seat-sharing arrangement is somewhat similar to the Lok Sabha polls fought by the two allies earlier this year when BJP had fielded contestants on 25 seats while the Shiv Sena contested on 23. However, Shiv Sena is said to be still trying to exert pressure on the BJP for more seats.