BJP core committee to face LS polls in alliance in Mah, Haryana

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) The Core Committee of senior BJP leaders today took stock of the political scenario in Maharashtra and Haryana and decided in principle to face the Lok Sabha elections in alliance.

Talking to newspersons after the meeting, BJP General Secretary and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde made it clear that the alliance would only be with Shiv Sena and ruled out any possible understanding with the faction led by Raj Thakray. The two parties will contest around 35 Lok Sabha seats.

Giving its assessment of the political situation in the state, the leaders told told the Central leadership that things were looking up for the NDA partners in the state. If Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati decided to field her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidates, it would only be hurting the prospects of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and not of the NDA, Mr Munde said.

The BJP and Shiv Sena will hold joint meetings at Mumbai after Ganesh Mahotsava and finalise the details of the seats.

Maharashtra BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, who was also present, said the party was ready to face simultaneous elections, if there was any simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and State Assembly. He was answering a question to this effect from a reporter.

He also said BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani will addresss four rallies in Maharashtra and the dates are yet to be finalised. A Tribal Rally would be held in Shahda in tribal dominated northern Mahrashtra, There would be rallies in Jalna in Marathwada region, Washim in Vidarbha and Sangli in West Maharashtra.

Earlier in the meeting with Haryana leaders, the party decided to face elections with an ally. Although no names are mentioned, the possibilities are that it would be with Indian National Lok Dal of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, BJP sources said.

The party has decided to face the Lok Sabha polls with AGP in Assam, while it would go alone in Jharkhand.

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