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Bhiwandi sole hitch in BJP-Sena ties maharashtra

MUMBAI: After a stormy session over seat sharing, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party are expected to shortly formally announce their alliance for the Lok Sabha elections. While the matter was settled on Sunday after extensive discussions, the Sena’s latest demand for the Bhiwandi seat has created fresh problems.

The delimitation of two constituencies Washim (now Yavatmal Washim) in Vidharbha and South Mumbai has resulted in their going to the Sena.

Jalgaon was never an issue of contention, party sources said. Now the BJP is likely to contest three of the six seats in Mumbai and two of the four in Thane, provided the Bhiwandi seat issue is sorted out. The BJP has conceded the South Mumbai and Yavatmal Washim seats to the Sena and things were more or less finalised when the fresh demand for Bhiwandi came up. It was also agreed that the Sena would field a candidate from the new constituency of Kalyan. The demand for Bhiwandi, also a new constituency, is not acceptable to the BJP. In Thane district, there are four Lok Sabha seats now. If the Sena wants Bhiwandi too, that means it gets three of the four seats, including Thane, where it has a sitting MP. The BJP will be left with the Palghar seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.

However, both parties are optimistic that a formal announcement will be made. Senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi told The Hindu that the seats were finalised except for the dispute over one seat. He did not divulge any details of the seats, though. He said everything else was settled and the final announcement would be made in two or three days.

Mr. Joshi clarified that Mr. Uddhav Thackeray had not made any statement backing NCP president Sharad Pawar for Prime Minister.

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