Maharashtra Polls: Seat Sharing Deal Done, BJP to contest 144, Shiv Sena Gets 126 Seats, Say Sources

BJP and Shiv Sena have agreed the seat sharing formula for upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2019, according to sources. Elections for 288 assmebly seats in Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24. According to sources, BJP will contest 144 seats while Shive Sena will field candidates on 126 seats. 18 seats have been allotted to the other allies. Sources also said that Shiv Sena will get the post of the Deputy Chief Minister in the next government.

According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was keen for the both parties to contest the Maharashtra Assembly Elections together this time. The alliance is expected to be announced on Sunday after the end of Pitru Paksha.

The seat sharing arrangement was sealed after an 8-hour-long meeting of the BJP's Maharashtra Core Group on Thursday. BJP chief Amit Shah and Working President JP Nadda took a call on the seat sharing issue after the meeting. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Pankaja Munde, Sudhir Munghantiwar and Girish Mahajan.

Shiv Sena has been demanding for a 50:50 seat sharing agreement.

In 2014, the Sena and the BJP had ended their alliance ahead of the state elections. However, they joined the BJP-led government after the results. The BJP had turned out to be the single largest party, but fell far short of a majority.