Maharashtra assembly polls: Uddhav Thackeray asks party workers to be ready to go solo if BJP-Sena alliance fails

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday asked his party workers to start preparations to contest the Maharashtra Assembly elections solo if the alliance with the BJP does not come to fruition. 

In the party meeting that took place at the Thackeray residence, Matoshree, he said that although he is not in favour of contesting the election solo, if push comes to shove, the party should be ready to deal with the situation.

According to sources, the Shiv Sena is not happy with the BJP which is offering the regional party just 108 of the 288 seats. The BJP is eyeing to contest rest of the seats with other small allies of NDA in the state. 

Earlier on Friday, Thackeray said there was no issue with ally BJP over seat-sharing for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

While leaders of BJP and Shiv Sena had indicated that was all was well between the two parties, reports suggested the latter demanded the chief minister's post.

Thackeray, however, in an apparent jibe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said, "I will wait for the chief minister to prepare a list of Shiv Sena candidates and on which seats we could fight, then I will put that list before the party and we will accordingly decide how to move forward."

In 2014, BJP and Shiv Sena had fought the Assembly elections separately after failing to arrive at a seat-sharing formula. They, however, decided to join hands to form the government in the state. 

The Assembly polls in the state are due next month.

(With inputs from ANI)