Mumbai: Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ally Shiv-Sena today announced continuation of alliance between two parties for upcoming Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections.

The announcement in this regard was made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in presence of BJP chief Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray among others in a joint press conference here.

According to this, BJP will contest 25 Lok Sabha seats while Shiv Sena will contest 23 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has total 48 Lok Sabha seats, second highest after Uttar Pradesh.

In assembly polls, both BJP and Shiv Sena will contest equal number of seats while leaving some seats for other allies.

BJP chief Amit Shah thanked Uddhav Thackeray for showing large heart. He said there was some “man-motav” between two parties but that has ended on this table here and now. Shaha said Shiv Sena and Akali are two oldest alliance partners of BJP and they have stayed with BJP in good and bad times.Shah said BJP is also in favor of Shiv Sena’s demand of construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and for that it has sought Supreme Court nod to get undisputed land back. Shah said BJP and Shiv Sena cadres will work together at booth level to ensure victory of alliance candidates.

Shah recalled Atal Bihar Vajpayee and Balasaheb Thackeray on this occasion.

DeshGujarat