With the first round of talks between the two major alliance partners in Maharashtra remaining inconclusive yesterday, both the alliances are expected to hold next round of discussions today to end the long stretched deadlock over seat sharing issue for the October 15, assembly elections.
The meeting between Shiv Sena, BJP and their grand alliance partners on seat sharing issue ended without any breakthrough late last night. This was the first joint meeting of all six partners of grand alliance or Mahayuti over seat sharing issue.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told reporters after the meeting that all leaders of alliance will meet today to carry forward the discussions on seat sharing. BJP leader Sudhir Munguntiwar said, it is just a break in marathon discussions and leaders of all six parties will meet again today to take seat sharing talks to its logical end.
According to sources, in the meeting a seat sharing formula finalised by Shiv Sena and BJP was put before other four smaller partners of the grand alliance for their approval. The meeting which lasted for three and half hours was attended by RPI leader Ramdas Athawale, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna leader Raju Shetti, Mahadev Jankar of Rashtriy Samaj Paksh and Shivsangram party leader Vinayak Mete besides, BJP and Shiv Sena leaders.
On the other hand, Congress and NCP are also expected to hold next round of seat sharing discussions today. Both the parties were scheduled to meet for second round of discussions last evening, but later it was informed that the meeting has been postponed. Earlier yesterday, first round of discussions between these two ruling alliance partners in the state had ended without any breakthrough.
Congress has accused Sharad Pawar led NCP for the deadlock and said that NCP's demand of 144 seats and sharing chief Ministers post for the equal tenure are the major hurdles in the path of pre-poll alliance. State Congress chief Manikrao Thakare has said that if the alliance didn't materialize, only NCP should be held responsible for it.
