Would demand 20 seats in saffron alliance for Maharashtra polls: Athawale

He said three other alliance partners (other than Sena and BJP) should also cut short their seat demands and contest elections together

Ramdas Athawale-led RPI(A), a constituent of the Mahayuti (grand alliance) led by Shiv Sena-BJP, today scaled down its demand from 47 seats to 20 in the alliance for the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls.

"We had demanded 47 seats in the grand alliance meeting in Mumbai yesterday, but would like to insist on at least 20 seats in the run-up to the polls, including 13 seats in Vidarbha region," Athawale told reporters here today.

He demanded that the three other alliance partners (other than Sena and BJP) should also cut short their seat demands and contest the elections together.

In the wake of the resounding win of the Sena-BJP in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the alliance is likely to come to power in state (after Assembly polls), an optimistic Athawale said.

The seat-sharing formula should be finalised by both party (Sena-BJP) leaderships by first week of next month and RPI(A) is ready to discuss division-wise and region-wise allocation, the Rajya Sabha MP said.

The RPI(A) has demanded one post of Governor, four MLCs and 15 per cent power share in Maharashtra government, besides post of chairmen in state-run corporations, he said.

The post of Governor or Lt Governor has been demanded from the Modi government at the Centre, he added.