Ahead of Maharashtra state assembly election, Shiv Sena is forming another plan, where it will go solo if the seat-sharing talks between the Sena-BJP fail.
According to Hindustan Times, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting of party MPs, MLAs, divisional heads (vibhaag pramukhs) at his residence ‘Matoshree’ on Sunday to take stock of the preparation and vetted the list of probable candidates for all 288 seats.
“Uddhavji discussed the poll plan for all regions, as we are in election mode now. As always, we have been asked to be prepared for any eventuality. Last time [in 2014] we were not ready, but this time we are better prepared, if the need arises,” a senior Sena functionary told the Hindustan TImes.
In 2014 elections, the Sena and the BJP had contested the assembly elections separately, as the seat-sharing talks between both the parties collapsed at the last moment. They later came together to form the government. The BJP had then won 122 seats while the Sena 63. While the Sena is stressing on the 50:50 seat sharing formula for the upcoming polls, the BJP is apparently eyeing more seats to accommodate leaders from other parties who have joined the party recently.
However, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray, who is currently touring Konkan region as a part of his 'Jan Aashirwad Yatra', maintained the Sena will go by the 50:50 formula announced by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis while declaring the alliance in February. The Sena has completed interviews of ticket hopefuls from western Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. Interestingly, Thackeray had said in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently that the alliance with the BJP was inevitable.