The Shiv Sena and BJP on Saturday announced that they have reached a seat-sharing agreement for the October 13 Maharashtra Assembly elections. “Shiv Sena will contest 169 seats and BJP 119 for the 288-member Assembly,” BJP General Secretary Gopinath Munde told reporters in Bandra.
“Our dream is to come to power in Maharashtra by ousting the Congress-NCP government. Who becomes the Chief Minister is immaterial,” Mr. Munde said.
“Sena chief Bal Thackeray had directed us to formally announce the alliance on ‘Ghatsthapana Day’ today,” he said, adding he would also address the victory rally of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
State BJP President Nitin Gadkari said the list of BJP candidates would be finalised in Delhi on Saturday evening.
“Gadkari would take a decision on allotting a constituency to Poonam Mahajan, daughter of slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan,” Mr. Munde said.
The Sena-BJP alliance will have a joint election manifesto, he said.
Keywords: Shiv Sena, BJP, seat-sharing, Maharashtra, Assembly, election, poll
