Mumbai:
Shiv Sena and the BJP announced their alliance for the October 13 Maharashtra Assembly polls on Saturday, with two extra seats to the BJP - a change in the Sena's long-standing seat-sharing formula.
Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, state BJP President Nitin Gadkari and BJP General Secretary Gopinath Munde jointly announced the alliance. "We are convinced we will win all 288 seats," said Thackeray.
The Shiv Sena will contest 169 seats, while BJP will contest 119. The two extra seats to the BJP are for giving up their long-held Guhagarh seat in Konkan.
But the saffron siblings downplaying their differences has upset local RSS cadres. The united front of the alliance is in sharp contrast to the rancour between them during the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.
What's changed is the MNS factor; Raj Thackeray's party substantially dented the alliance's base across Maharashtra in the run for parliament. The Sena-BJP lost nine seats to the MNS across Mumbai, Thane and Nashik.
But while the Shiv Sena and BJP have sealed their seat-sharing deal, the Congress and the NCP are still bargaining hard for some seats in Mumbai. An announcement is expected over the weekend.
Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, state BJP President Nitin Gadkari and BJP General Secretary Gopinath Munde jointly announced the alliance. "We are convinced we will win all 288 seats," said Thackeray.
The Shiv Sena will contest 169 seats, while BJP will contest 119. The two extra seats to the BJP are for giving up their long-held Guhagarh seat in Konkan.
But the saffron siblings downplaying their differences has upset local RSS cadres. The united front of the alliance is in sharp contrast to the rancour between them during the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.
What's changed is the MNS factor; Raj Thackeray's party substantially dented the alliance's base across Maharashtra in the run for parliament. The Sena-BJP lost nine seats to the MNS across Mumbai, Thane and Nashik.
But while the Shiv Sena and BJP have sealed their seat-sharing deal, the Congress and the NCP are still bargaining hard for some seats in Mumbai. An announcement is expected over the weekend.
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