Back from the brink: BJP's alliance with Sena intact

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena on Tuesday resumed talks over seat sharing for election to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. The parties appear to have resolved their differences and are set to contest the coming election as allies, unless there are some unforeseen last-minute glitches.

Giving up earlier rigidity, the parties met halfway and said they had decided to continue with the alliance.

The Sena on Sunday said its 151:119 formula was non-negotiable, while BJP insisted it would accept nothing less than 130 seats. But on Tuesday, they put up a united front and their leaders, Sanjay Raut and Vinod Tawde, addressed a joint press conference to reiterate the alliance was intact. They said various proposals were being worked out.

Party insiders said the Sena had offered to give 126 or 130 seats to BJP. A top BJP leader said: "If BJP accepts 130 seats, the Sena will contest on 151, leaving seven for the Maha Yuti allies - the Republican Party of India, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Rashtriya Samaj Party and Shiv Sangram. By another formula, the Sena could contest on 150 seats, BJP on 126 and the other allies on the rest." Yet another formula being discussed is to give BJP 124 seats, Sena 150 and the Maha Yuti allies 14.