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The Shiv Sena and its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are mulling five seat-sharing formulae for the Maharashtra Assembly polls slated for October 15. Insiders of both the parties, however, indicate that they might explore going solo as a last resort if they are unable to arrive at a consensus.
According to the first formula, Shiv Sena will get 169 seats and the BJP 119, as implemented during the 2009 Assembly elections. However, both will have to give at least 18 seats from their respective quota to allies in the Maha Yuti, including Republican Party of India, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Rashtriya Samaj Party and Shiv Sangram.
The second formula envisages 151 seats to Shiv Sena, 119 seats to BJP and 18 seats to Maha Yuti allies. The third formula gives Shiv Sena 138 seats, 132 to BJP and 18 to Maha Yuti allies.
The fourth formula envisages 183 seats to Shiv Sena and 105 to BJP and both the parties would spare 18 seats for Maha Yuti allies from their respective seats. This formula was successfully implemented by Shiv Sena and BJP during the 1990 and 1995 Assembly elections. Thereafter, during the 1999 and 2004 polls, they fought on a 171: 117 seat-sharing formula.
According to the fifth formula, of the 288 seats, Shiv Sena would reconsider or exchange 59 seats which the party has never won, and the Sena would surely get 110 seats totalling 169 seats. For BJP, the party would exchange 19 seats it never won since the 1990 Assembly polls, whereby it would get 119 seats.
Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has already warned BJP not to stretch further and accept that when it comes to Maharashtra the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's charisma works.
On the other hand, another Sena leader Divakar Raote noted that for the saffron alliance 183:105 formula has been lucky as it led to the assuming of power in Maharashtra after 1995 Assembly polls. Kadam declared that the entire party is behind party chief Uddhav Thackeray, who has already declared that it won't be possible for the Shiv Sena to accept BJP's demand for 135 seats.
As far as BJP is concerned, the party hopes the seat-sharing issue would be resolved amicably before its national poll committee's meeting slated for September 21. The state BJP core committee on Tuesday held a meeting with Union Minister for Roads and Rural Development Nitin Gadkari, but it remained inconclusive.
