BJP reviews poll readiness in all Maha seats amid tie-up delay

The ruling BJP held a review of preparedness in all the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra amid delay in finalising a tie-up with the Shiv Sena for the October 21 polls, sources said on Friday.

Maharashtra BJP leaders held consultations with the ruling party's central leadership on poll preparedness in New Delhi on Thursday, they said.

Senior Maharashtra BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the party's state unit president, Chandrakant Patil, were present at the meeting, the sources said.

"A review of all the 288 assembly seats and preparations for the October 21 polls was taken at the meet," the sources said.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena are locked in hard bargaining for distribution of seats among themselves and smaller partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The BJP is said to offering a maximum of 120 seats to the Shiv Sena.

On the other hand, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is insisting on equal distribution of seats and sharing of the chief minister's post for 2.5 years each between the saffron allies.

A Sena leader had earlier said the party was willing to accept 135 seats.

In 2014, both parties had contested the assembly polls separately with the BJP winning 122 seats and the Sena 63.

Fadnavis took over as the first BJP chief minister on October 31, 2014, and the Sena joined his government in December that year.