india

Updated: Feb 15, 2019 16:06 IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena on Thursday began face-to-face poll negotiations after weeks of informal talks over an alliance.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and revenue minister Chandrakant Patil met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his Bandra residence, Matoshree, late on Thursday, to discuss a deal to share seats and power for the upcoming polls. After the meeting, which lasted 30 minutes, Fadnavis told media persons that the talks were “positive”.

“I met Uddhav Thackeray and our talks were positive. However, because of the attack in Pulwama, we cut short our meeting,” said the chief minister adding that the Sena was keen on resolving issues pertaining to farmers and citizens. “We can address these issues and take a decision on them soon,” Fadnavis said.

The Sena, which has been criticising its ally its entire tenure, is also looking at ways to justify its alliance and hence, may have laid down a condition that the government takes a decision on their demands before moving forward with talks. It is also learnt that the Sena wants the chief minister’s post be split between the two parties for 2.5 years each, with the first term going to the Sena, if the parties come back to power in the Assembly polls. They have sought an equal seat-sharing formula for the Assembly polls. There was no confirmation on this from the BJP.

So far, the BJP has not accepted any of these demands.

“This is just the first round of talks. We will consider their demands, take them to our high command and sit again for negotiations. Both parties have accepted an alliance is necessary for the upcoming polls,” said a senior BJP leader, who did not want to named.

HT reported on Thursday that despite their public tussle, senior leaders of both the parties have been working on a deal for the upcoming polls. The report pointed how the process was taking time largely because of a delay in finalising an agreement to share seats in the Assembly elections that is scheduled six months after the Parliamentary elections, and sharing power if the saffron combine retains power.