BJP-Shiv Sena Hand Shake after months of uncertainty

In Maharashtra the BJP and Shiv Sena have finally decided to shake hands after a month of uncertainty. Both the parties have agreed to continue with the existing seat-sharing formula, which gives the BJP 26 seats and the Sena 22 seats.

Earlier, there were differences over the four seats of Mumbai South, Kalyan, Jalgaon, and Yavatmal-Washim. These were sorted out after a meeting between senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi and BJP General Secretary Gopinath Munde on Thursday.

The Shiv Sena will now contest from Mumbai South and Yavatmal-Washim while the BJP will contest Jalgaon and Kalyan. A formal announcement is expected in the next few days.

Support to Pawar's PM candidature divides Sena-BJP

Meanwhile, the reported remarks of Shiv Sena leaders over support to Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar for Prime Ministership is acting as a pinprick for more than two decade

alliance between the BJP and Sena even as the two parties were on the verge of firming up the seat-sharing formula.

The growing proximity between Sena and NCP is not palatable to the BJP.

Sena MP and senior leader Sanjay Raut told newsmen on Thursday, "Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray has time and again said that a Marathi person should be the Prime Minister of the country at least once. This doesn't mean we support Pawar. He belongs to the UPA whereas we belong to the NDA. But when our leaders said we will think on the possibility of supporting Pawar in case such a situation arises, they were right."

In reply to this, BJP leader Nitin Gadkari said, "If Shiv Sena is in favour of supporting Mr Pawar for Prime Ministership, it should clear its stand. Otherwise the alliance will be in trouble."

Sources in both the parties indicated that the seat sharing formula had been ironed out with the BJP contesting for 26 seats, while Sena would put up candidates in the remaining 22 constituencies.