Shiv Sena to contest assembly polls in alliance with BJP, SAD

Jalandhar, May 14 (UNI) The Shiv Sena is planning to contest atleast 10 seats in the next assembly elections in Punjab, in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) combine.

Party state chief Ravinder Arora told UNI today that the party had already started organisational preparations for the elections to be held in February next year and initial talks with BJP-SAD for an alliance had also been initiated.

''If efforts for an allaince fail then the party would contest the election on its own,'' Mr Arora said.

He said Shiv Sena had contested 23 assembly seats on its own in the last assembly elections in 2002 but later supported BJP-SAD combine in the last Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Arora said that party had also decided to contest the next civic bodies elections on its own.

Meanwhile, the party state executive, which met in Ludhiana yesterday also decided to launch and agitation in protest against the rising prices of essential commodities and other burning issues.

The party had also opposed the move of reservation for OBCs in higher education institutions.

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