Standoff over seat sharing between Shiv Sena-BJP continues; BJP to send new proposal to Sena

Even though the Maharashtra Assembly election is just a month away, the tension between Shiv Sena and BJP continues. The BJP has now decided to send a new proposal to the Shiv Sena over the seat sharing row. The decision was taken in the BJP's core committee meet that was held under the leadership of Om Prakash Mathur.

Throwing the ball in the Sena's court, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said, "We want the 25-year-old alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP to continue and the new proposal will be sent to Shiv Sena." 

"The formula of 119 seats is old now. There are 59 seats that the Shiv Sena and 19 seats that the BJP have not won in the last 25 years. Each and every seat should be looked at from the perspective of winning and rethinking should be done." he said.

Talking about previous instances when the Sena had gone against the NDA, but the BJP had still maintained the alliance, Mungantiwar said, "Removing the Congress-NCP alliance from power is our main aim and who becomes the Chief Minister should not be the most important issue. To fullfill the demands of people, it is important to take the alliance forward."  
  
Mentioning that the BJP had sacrificed its Lok Sabha seats for the Sena but has not got even a single additional seat for the assembly polls, BJP leader Eknath Khadse said,"When the alliance took place in Maharashtra it was decided that 32 seats should be contested by BJP and 16 by Shiv Sena. But later the formula changed and we gave six of our Lok Sabha seats to the Sena, bringing down our number to 26. Even the Rajya Sabha seat was sacrificed for Mahayuti member Ramdas Athawle," he added.  

Also read: Narendra Modi steps in to resolve seat-sharing issue with Shiv Sena before Assembly elections
  
The situation is becoming grim, as the Sena is not ready to accede more than 119 seats to BJP and the party has taken a tough stand saying that it does not obey anybody's ultimatum and cannot be dictated by anybody. Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said, "We won't compromise on our self-respect. We met (party president) Uddhav Thackeray and had a discussion on the alliance. Shiv Sena does not obey anybody's ultimatum. The final decision will be taken only by Uddhav Thackeray," 

Meanwhile, the alliance partners are ready to recede their demand of seats to prevail the breakup of the Sena-BJP alliance. Speaking to a news channel, leader of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna Raju Shetty said, "We have proposed that the Shiv Sena should contest 150 seats, 120 seats should be given to BJP and 18 seats to alliance partners."

Alliance partner Republican party of India leader Ramdas Athawle said that the BJP and Shiv Sena should not break the alliance. "Both the parties should skip their ego and by giving 20 seats to alliance partners, they should end the differences. The RPI should get 10 of the 20 seats," he said.  

When asked about their action in the event the alliance broke, he said, "Further decisions will be taken after discussing the issue with party workers. If Sena-BJP contest elections separately, they will not come to power."

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Also read: Shiv Sena firm, BJP blinks; may settle for 125 seats