Shiv Sena, BJP make different claims for seat-sharing

Mumbai: The alliance talks for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls between the Shiv Sena and BJP is stuck due to different approaches that both parties have adopted while demanding seats. The BJP has claimed credit for its success in the 2014 Assembly polls, which it contested independently, and demanded 114 seats. But the Shiv Sena has offered 60 seats to the BJP, considering the last BMC polls in 2012, in which the latter had won 32 seats.

After three rounds of talks between the Sena and BJP for forging an alliance, nothing concrete has come up yet. The BJP has demanded 114 seats while the Shiv Sena has offered the party only 60. The vast difference in the two numbers did not allow leaders from both the sides to discuss the matter further.

“We have calculated seats based on the Assembly results. We contested separately and got 15 MLAs elected, even from the Sena’s pocket borough. In the past, we had given up our seats of sitting MLAs and MPs to the Sena. The party should understand our increased strength and give us seats accordingly,” said a top BJP leader. Sena leaders, however, have ridiculed the claims by the BJP, as the party itself had 14 MLAs elected in the Assembly polls.