Maha polls: Shiv Sena, BJP discuss seat allocation to allies

Shiv Sena and BJP leaders on Wednesday held their first round of talks on seat-sharing primarily focusing on possible seats that could be allotted to their allies for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls.

A BJP leader said it has not yet been decided which party will contest how many seats in the 288-member house.

"Today was the first day of meeting to work out a seat-sharing formula. It is not fixed how many seats each party can share with the allies but some seats were discussed, said the BJP leader.

The meeting was held at Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patils residence here, which was attended by party leader and finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Sena leader Subhash Desai.

Asked about the recently inducted leaders from the Congress and NCP, the BJP leader said, "Those seats will be considered as that of the respective party in which the sitting MLA has joined.

"Most of the sitting MLAs will get ticket from their new political home. Such an arrangement has been worked out, he said.

Smaller parties like the RPI (A) and the Rashtriya Samaj Paksh (RSP) are part of the BJP-Sena alliance in the state.