BJP core committee meets to discuss seat-sharing formula

Members call for renegotiation with Sena after abrogation of 370, ‘successful’ Mahajanadesh Yatra

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s core committee on Monday held a second round of discussions to decide the the seat-sharing formula with ally Shiv Sena for the Assembly polls.

The 16-member committee met under the leadership of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who stressed the need for the party to highlight work done by the Narendra Modi government in the first 100 days of its second term.

Sources in the party said the committee was apprised of the Shiv Sena’s stand of not accepting fewer than 110 seats for itself and 18 for the splinter and support groups. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday had said the alliance between the two parties was inevitable and they were likely to return to power. Mr. Thackeray had made the remarks in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function in Mumbai.

The committee members voiced their opinions on the seat-sharing formula, which they said will have to be renegotiated in the wake of the Sena’s support for the decision to abrogate Article 370. “Before the abrogation of Article 370, the fight was for equal number of seats. But after the development and the success of the party’s Mahajanadesh Yatra, we feel Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the face of the alliance in the State. We are keen to renegotiate the terms of alliance with the Sena,” a senior minister and BJP member said.

The core committee, headed by the Chief Minister, includes senior party leaders such as BJP State chief Chandrakant Patil, city unit head Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and ministers Vinod Tawde, Ashish Shelar and Pankaja Munde.

Sources in the party said the BJP has asked for more than 160 seats from the Sena, with its preliminary assessment showing it can win the same number on its own. The Sena has reportedly refused to accept any formula where it gets fewer than 110 seats, and the splinter groups fewer than 18, sources said.

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