Sena, BJP seat-sharing talks stuck on 4 key constituencies,Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, civic elections,Local body election 2015

AMC Civic poll 2015: Sena, BJP seat-sharing talks stuck on 4 key constituencies

AURANGABAD: The BJP's claim over four seats, including the Gulmandi constituency, has become a bone of contention between the local leaders of the party and the Shiv Sena. The two saffron parties recently announced their alliance for the forthcoming civic elections but have not come to an agreement over the seat-sharing formula. 

On Sunday, leaders from both the parties held talks to discuss sharing of 113 wards for forthcoming elections for Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). 

Maharashtra BJP president Raosaheb Danve stuck to the party's claim over Gulmandi among other seats, further strained the ongoing negotiations. While inaugurating the party's poll office here on Sunday, Danve said the Gulmandi seat was crucial and the BJP wanted to contest it at any cost. 

The BJP has been demanding 55 wards for contesting civic body polls but is likely to settle for 51 seats. The Shiv Sena reportedly agreed for giving 49 seats to the BJP during talks on Sunday. 

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat told TOI his party could leave two more seats for BJP to contest for April 22 AMC polls. "We have no issues in offering as many as 51 seats to BJP. However, we have strong objections to their claim over the four constituencies of Gulmandi, Raja Bazzar,, N-6 and Mayur park. The BJP should be realistic before claiming anything," he said. 

Shirsat said citizens were keen that the BJP and Shiv Sena should join hands and their sentiments should be kept in mind. 

BJP spokesperson Shirish Boralkar said seat-sharing formula with Shiv Sena would be finalized in next couple of days. "We have demanded 55 wards for AMC polls, while Shiv Sena can contest the remaining 58 seats. The final seat-sharing figures would be announced in next few days," he said. 

Boralkar said Shiv Sena should keep in mind outcome of recent Maharashtra assembly polls, where it decided to go alone parting ways with BJP. "The assembly results proved the BJP's strength. The Shiv Sena should not forget what fate it met by contesting on its own," he said. 

The BJP will begin conducting interviews of poll aspirants from all AMC wards from Tuesday even while the talks over formation of alliance with Shiv Sena are on. The move dubbed as a pressure tactic to gain desired number seats has not bothered the Shiv Sena, with Shirsat describing it as "routine process".

 src:timesofindia

• Prev
• Next