Maharashtra polls: BJP-Shiv Sena, Congress-NCP battle bitter seat-sharing tussle

Mumbai: There is alliance trouble in Maharashtra ahead of state elections - the 25-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP relationship is threatening to break up on account of seat sharing issues. In the opposition Congress and NCP is also battling the same fight.

The deadlock between the Shiv Sena and BJP continues as both parties are still bickering over the seat sharing formula. On Saturday there were hectic negotiations in both camps, with proposals being sent from the both the sides.

Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Raut said, "This decision cannot be taken by one party. It has to be decided just the way we have being doing for the last 25 years. We will try and take a decision by tomorrow."

Despite Aditya Thackeray's attempt to break the ice, seat-sharing remains the sticking point. BJP and Shiv Sena have been in talks since Friday night.

BJP has demanded around 130 seats and wants Shiv Sena to give them either the Dadar, Prabhadevi or Thane seat. Shiv Sena on the other hand has rejected all of BJP's demand, the three seats that are considered to be Sena strongholds

Sena has instead proposed 125 seats for BJP while the party will be contesting 155 seats. Sena is willing to renegotiate 14 seats for the entire alliance Mahayuti and says of the 14 seats, seven will go to BJP and seven to Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana and two seats that it wants BJP to give to RPI (A).

Trouble also seems to be brewing in the Congress-NCP camp. There too, the junior partner is demanding a 50:50 share. This has not gone down well with Congress.

Congress leader Manikrao Thakre said, "The kind of statements coming from NCP might force us to go to election separately."

Praful Patel concurred, "NCP will wait for only one more day for Congress' decision on seat-sharing. All options are open to us if Congress does not respond."

While both parties say that they are fighting in the interest of Maharashtra, seat-sharing tussle clearly shows all is not well in the saffron camp. Sources have also said that the top Sena leadership is miffed with BJP's attitude.