Pawar flirts with Sena-BJP, meets Advani

The Shiv Sena is prepared to scale down from its LS seat share (from 20 to 17) and the BJP (from 28 to 21). As for Assembly equations, the Sena may settle for 110, instead of its original 171. The BJP may accept 85 seats, rather than its allotted 117, leaving the remaining 93 seats to NCP.

Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray will be projected as the chief ministerial candidate and Pawar will practically get a free hand in Western Maharashtra after accommodating BJP and Sena interests. The LS seats on the table for NCP are Baramati, Khed, Kolhapur, Ichlankarji, Pandharpur, Satara, Karad, Nandurbar and Sangli. One more seat is negotiable. The NCP has six seats in the LS and 58 in the Vidhan Sabha.

NCP sources said the party meeting, scheduled for January 24 here, is likely to be advanced to January 14 to decide on the course of action. This is being done to keep pace with the fast-changing scene.

While Pawar is weighing options, NCP’s Meghalaya unit has expressed its discontent on allying with the Congress. Party general secretary P.A. Sangma met Deputy PM L.K. Advani here today to apparently discuss the possibility of the NCP joining the NDA.

The BJP holds considerable influence in Tura LS constituency, represented by Sangma, who controls NCP fortunes in the North-East. A tie-up with BJP will bolster his prospects. Moreover, it will not be possible for him to fight Congress and BJP simultaneously. One factor, which may come in the way, is the minority communities’ distrust of BJP.