Sena,BJP & RPI to hold LS seat-sharing talks after Ganesh fest

The 'mahayuti' (mega-alliance) comprising Shiv Sena, BJP and RPI (Athawale) would begin the seat sharing talks for 2014 Lok Sabha polls after the Ganesh festival next month.

"We will be able to decide about who will contest from which seat only after deliberations. Talks would begin after the Ganesh festival," Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, Vinod Tawde said here today.

When asked about reports whether BJP would swap some of its seats with the Shiv Sena, which the latter considers as its bastions, Tawde said, "These reports of swapping seats is not true and we will decide on that only after talks."

The joint rallies of the mega-alliance would commence after the end of monsoon, sources said.

"Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis had suggested that joint rallies of the mega-alliance should be held. The first rally will be held in Mumbai," sources added.

Though the co-ordination meeting of Shiv Sena-BJP and RPI was likely to be held from first week of this month, it could not be held.

While Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is currently on the tour of the state, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde is busy in the Monsoon Session of the Parliament.

The Ramdas Athawale-led faction of the RPI is demanding four Lok Sabha seats--- Ramtek, south-central Mumbai, Kalyan in Thane district and Latur.

"Due to more number of Dalit voters in the south-central Mumbai, RPI wants to field its candidates here.

There is also a great possibility that Athawale himself would contest from Ramtek or south-central Mumbai," sources said.