NCP-Sena pitted against each other in 13 seats

There has been consternation within BJP over ally Shiv Sena's 'tacit' support to NCP chief Sharad Pawar's prime ministerial ambitions, but as the dust over seat-sharing settles, it is now clear that the Sena and NCP are pitted against each other in 13 of the 22 Lok Sabha seats each is contesting.

At least now, those dishing out stories about Sena's covert understanding with the Pawar party should realise that the two parties would be spending their maximum energy in fighting each other, a Sena spokesperson told PTI.

NCP and Sena are each contesting 22 seats while their respective allies Congress and BJP are contesting 26 seats each. Congress and NCP's share also includes their allies.

Sena and NCP candidates have locked horns in Parbhani, Hingoli, Buldhana, Nashik, Kalyan, Thane, Maval, Shirur, Osmanabad, Satara, Kolhapur and Hatkanangale.

In Amravati, from where NCP ally RP (Gavai) is contesting, the Sena has fielded its candidate.

Sena chief Bal Thackeray recently said in an editorial in party's mouthpiece 'Saamana' that Pawar was forced to scrap plans of contesting from Shirur seat where Sena has a sitting MP and chose Madha constituency.

BJP leaders in Maharashtra have on many occasions asked Sena to clarify its stance over supporting a Maharashtrian (Pawar) for the PM's post.