E-Paper
Shiv Sena flags seat-sharing concerns with BJP ahead of Pune polls
Shiv Sena leaders express dissatisfaction with BJP's seat-sharing for Pune elections, demanding more seats amid concerns over independent negotiations.
Leaders of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have expressed dissatisfaction over seat-sharing arrangements with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the January 15 Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections and have taken up the issue with deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.
The BJP and the Shiv Sena are contesting the civic polls together as part of the Mahayuti alliance. However, Shiv Sena leaders in Pune allege that the BJP has been holding talks independently and is not giving the Sena adequate seats in the local seat-sharing process.
A meeting of Shiv Sena leaders was held on Wednesday at former MLA Ravindra Dhangekar’s office in the city, where concerns were raised over the BJP’s approach. Following the meeting, some Sena leaders also travelled to Mumbai to brief Shinde on the developments.
Senior Sena leaders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the party was being offered far fewer seats than expected. “The BJP is not willing to give us more than 16 seats in Pune. We had sought at least 30. They are also not involving us in key meetings and are offering seats where they themselves are unsure of winning,” a leader said.
Dhangekar confirmed that the meeting had taken place at his office. “There was a discussion among Shiv Sena leaders regarding seat-sharing. Our leaders are in touch with Eknath Shinde and are conveying the party’s concerns to him,” he said.
The issue has added to the churn within the Mahayuti alliance in Pune, even as formal preparations for the PMC elections gather pace.
