Sena, BJP to take decision on Athavale demand for more seats

Shiv Sena and BJP will jointly consider the demand of Republican Party of India (Athavale) for allotment of specific number of seats as part of the electoral adjustment for the 2014 polls.
RPI (Athavale) President Ramdas Athavale, whose faction is currently part of the Sena-BJP led 'mahayuti' (grand alliance) in Maharashtra, has asked for four Lok Sabha and 35 Assembly seats to be left for his party in the State as part of an understanding for the next elections.
Asked to comment on the RPI leader's demand, Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe told reporters here today that "Shiv Sena and BJP will jointly consider Athavale's proposal and take a decision in the matter."

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha and 288 Assembly seats.
She, however, refrained from commenting on the possibility of Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena joining the "mahayuti" in a bid to consolidate non-Congress Opposition in Maharashtra, where Assembly poll is due in 2014.
On the current agitation of traders in Maharashtra opposing imposition of local body tax (LBT), Gorhe said the State Government should show "greater understanding" of their problems and find an amicable solution to the issue by bridging the "communication gap" with the trading community.