As speculations over Shiv Sena- BJP alliance intensified, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally taken charge over the situation for Maharashtra in Assembly elections. Modi led BJP had an astounding win in the Lok Sabha elections but BJP has failed to perform well in by election polls. Even BJP President Amit Shah had accepted the fact that the 'Modi wave' had subsided.
On Friday, Modi took a note of the situation from his cabinet colleague Nitin Gadkari, who is set to travel to Mumbai to meet BJP's state leadership later Friday as reported by a leading daily.
Modi's move comes after his close aide and BJP’s national president Amit Shah received unexpected response from the Sena on Thursday as the party dismissed Shah’s suggestion for protecting BJP’s self-esteem in sharing seats. Shiv Sena asked BJP to take 119 seats as per the old formula but BJP rejected the proposal and indicated that the alliance may break if the Sena does not revise the old formula.
The current situation is that Shiv Sena is willing to go solo and even BJP has taken a stance on the issue. BJP has been demanding an equal share of the state’s 288 assembly seats citing the Lok Sabha polls where it won 23 seats to the Sena’s 18. In 2009, the Sena had contested 169 seats and the BJP 119, winning 44 and 46, respectively.
The smaller allies who formed an alliance with the Sena and BJP for the Lok Sabha polls are working for patch-up before Assembly elections.
On Thursday, Amit Shah ihad ndicated BJP was willing to join the Sena. “We (BJP) have taken two steps forward, the other people (the Sena) should also move a step forward and resolve the issue quickly to begin the movement for transformation of Maharashtra," he had reportedly said.
Also read: Shiv Sena firm, BJP blinks; may settle for 125 seats
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}