Four smaller BJP allies in Maha not to get LS seats: Jankar

Four smaller allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra will not get any seats to contest in the Lok Sabha elections, minister and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) leader Mahadev Jankar said here.

The BJP promised to do justice to these allies in seat-sharing for Assembly polls which are due later this year, he said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Republican Party of India (A) chief and Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Jankar, Rayat Kranti Sanghtana leader Sadabhau Khot and Vinayak Mete of Shiv Sangram Saturday at the CM's official residence here.

Speaking to reporters later, Jankar said the discussion focused on ensuring the NDA's victory.

"The chief minister assured us that no injustice will be done to allies," he said.

Fadnavis told them that the BJP will not cede any seats for these four parties for the Lok Sabha elections, but they would get preference in seat-sharing for Assembly polls, Jankar said.

"The chief minister has also spoken to (Shiv Sena president) Uddhav Thackeray on this issue. We have therefore decided to participate in campaigning for both the BJP and Sena," he said.

As per the Sena-BJP seat-sharing pact announced last month, the Thackeray-led party will contest 23 and BJP 25 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The BJP has fielded, on its ticket, RSP's Kanchan Kul from Baramati, an NCP bastion.

In 2014, Jankar and Khot, both part of the NDA, had contested from Baramati and Madha, respectively, and lost.