FILE: From left - Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, Amit Shah and Aditya Thackeray.

MUMBAI: The saffron parties, Shiv Sena and BJP, may announce a tie-up for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly polls on Monday evening in a joint press conference by BJP president Amit Shah and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Worli, south Mumbai.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut confirmed before the media that Amit Shah is visiting Mumbai in the evening and will have talks with Thackeray on the alliance.

According to the BJP sources, the alliance talks are almost over and both the parties have agreed to go together for the polls.

Shiv Sena insisted for a Palghar Lok Sahba seat, currently held by the BJP and BJP is ready to leave it for the Sena. Hence, Sena may agree to contest on 23 seats while BJP may field candidates on 25 LS seats of the total 48 seats in the state and for the assembly out of 288 both parties will share 50-50% seats that is 144 each.

The Shiv Sena and BJP are allies in the state and at the Centre. Nevertheless, the Sena, over the years, has not left any chance to target the Modi government. The party last year supported the opposition's demand of a joint parliamentary probe into the Rafale jet deal and borrowed a jibe from Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to target the BJP. Although Sena leader Sanjay Raut, on behalf of party, insisted on chief ministerial position in the state and support for BJP’s prime minister post, the latter is unlikely to accept the demand.

