Uddhav’s last formula: Sena to fight 151, BJP 119, allies the rest

Uddhav's final offer: 151 for Sena, 119 for BJP and 18 seats for allies. BJP says nothing new in Shiv Sena's proposal.

Uddhav’s final offer: 151 for Sena, 119 for BJP and 18 seats for allies. (Source: PTI)

Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray offered a new solution which he described as the “the last formula” to break the seat sharing deadlock with the BJP. Thackeray has offered to contest 151 seats giving the BJP 119 and leaving 18 seats for the allies. In an indication to the BJP on who is the boss in the state, Thackeray asked the BJP to concentrate on governing the country and leave the governance of Maharashtra to it.

“Today I am making a final attempt to ensure that our alliance stays intact. Sena had initially asked for 160 seats. But now we are ready to part with nine seats. Shiv Sena will fight on 151 seats, leaving 119 seats for BJP. The remaining 18 seats will be given to our allies,” Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing a meeting of party office bearers in Mumbai.

Thackeray further stated that the Sena was ready to sacrifice the nine seats in the interest of the state but warned that it would not relent any further claiming that this was the last offer by the Sena. “We will be unhappy if the alliance breaks. But this is a battle of our existence irrespective of whether the alliance lasts or not,” Thackeray said.

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Thackeray also hinted that the Sena would claim the lions share in case the alliance came into power. “During the Lok Sabha polls, our alliance partners had told us that ‘do not create problems as the BJP government is coming to power at the Center’. I agreed then. Now don’t create problems in Maharashtra for us,” Thackeray said.

In response to Uddhav’s offer, BJP said there is nothing new in Shiv Sena’s proposal, and asked the party to sort out seat-sharing issue through discussion and not through media.

We want the alliance to continue. It is the duty of both parties to maintain the alliance, BJP said.

The Shiv Sena chief also reminded the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi how it stood behind its alliance partner in the wake of the 2002 Gujarat riots.

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“Everyone knows how terrible the situation was when the Godhra riots took place. Everyone was saying that Modi should be immediately removed from the Gujarat CM’s post. At that time, it was only Balasaheb who told LK Advani that Modi should stay on as he pursues the Hindutva ideology,” he said.

He also claimed that the alliance with BJP was on the issue of Hindutva and not meant to grab power. “Maharashtra will be the number one state in the country if Sena comes to power. I want power and I will take it at any cost. But this power is to give Maharashtra something and not to take away, like other parties do,” he said.