Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today held preliminary talks with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray over phone about alliance for the upcoming elections to 10 municipal corporations including those in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane.
State BJP chief Raosaheb Danve was also kept in the loop about the conversation, a senior Sena leader said.
The talks come amid constant bickering between the two ruling alliance partners.
Shiv Sena had set itself ‘Mission 115’ (target of winning 115 seats out of total 227) for 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the leader said.
A Mumbai BJP office-bearer said BJP has no problem if Sena has set itself a target of winning 115 seats.
“All we want is Sena allows us to contest 100-odd seats as we will need some seats to accommodate our Maha Aghadi (grand alliance) partners,” the BJP leader said.
Sena source claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party will retain its position as the single largest party after the civic polls in Mumbai.
“BJP might come a distant second and we have reasons to believe that the third largest party will be the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musalmeen (AIMIM) with Congress nowhere in the picture,” the Sena leader said.
He dismissed the prospects of Raj Thackeray-led MNS, saying it will be lucky to win even eight to nine seats.
Meanwhile, another Sena leader said further alliance talks will happen only after Diwali and the final decision will be taken by Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray.
