Four BJP allies in Maha to meet to discuss seat-sharing

Four smaller allies of the BJP in Maharashtra will be meeting Monday to discuss negotiating strategy for seat-sharing, Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP) leader Mahadev Jankar said here Sunday.

The BJP stitched alliance with the Shiv Sena earlier this week. The saffron party would be contesting 25 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the Sena would contest 23, one more than in 2014.

As the Sena made it clear that its alliance was only with the BJP, other NDA allies will have to negotiate with the latter for seat-sharing.

Leaders of RSP, Union minister Ramdas Athawale's RPI, Shiv Sangram Pratisthan of Vinajak Mete and Rayat Kranti Sanghatana of Sadabhau Khot will meet at Jankar's residence here Monday.

"We will discuss how we should go about negotiating with the BJP," Jankar said.

A senior BJP leader had said that it would not be able to give more than two seats to other (non-Sena) allies as the Sena has got one more seat this time.

Jankar had contested the Lok Sabha election as NDA candidate from Baramati in 2014. He lost to NCP's Supriya Sule.

Athawale on Saturday alleged that the BJP and Sena did not take his party in confidence while announcing their deal. The RPI leader has said he wanted to contest from Mumbai South Central constituency, currently represented by the Sena's Rahul Shewale.