After Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s tough talk in Mumbai, the BJP’s central election committee met on Sunday and discussed its candidates for all 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra, but withheld announcing the names as last-ditch efforts were under way to salvage the alliance.
The meeting was held under a shadow of uncertainty over the status of the alliance, particularly after Mr. Thackeray publicly made a “final offer” of 119 seats to the BJP for the October 15 election.
Rejecting the Sena’s offer, the BJP told its old alliance partner that it was the duty of both to continue the tie-up and sort out issues between them directly instead of going through the media.
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Despite the apparent tough posturing by the BJP, sources said “all options are open.” “The BJP is keen that the alliance continues,” a source said.
Earlier in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena made it clear that it would leave no more than 119 seats for the BJP. “We will contest 151 seats and will forgo 18 from our quota for the four other allies. But this is my last effort to save the alliance,” said Mr. Thackeray while addressing party office-bearers in Mumbai. Mr. Thackeray reminded Mr. Modi that Sena supremo the late Bal Thackeray had backed him after the Gujarat riots. In it is hidden the demand that Mr. Modi should return the favour and back him as the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate.
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For the Maharashtra Assembly election, the Shiva Sena is insisting that the BJP contest the same number of seats — 119 — as it did in 2009. The BJP has been demanding an equal share of the total 288 on the back of its better performance in the Lok Sabha election.
“I told the BJP leaders that we are givers and we are not takers. We are giving our seats to other parties,” Mr. Thackeray said.
Opening up for the first time in two weeks, Mr. Thackeray said the BJP had sought 145 seats initially. “The proposal was not even worth considering,” he said.