Amit Shah, Uddhav Thackeray to address joint presser today: Why is it significant?

Mumbai, Feb 18: The Shiv Sena is one of the oldest allies of the BJP, but off-late the Uddhav Thackeray led party has been extremely critical of the PM Modi-led government at the Centre. The criticism and bickering between the two had, at one point, reached such levels that speculations began making the rounds that Sena may severe ties with the BJP.

Shiv Sena and BJP are allies both in Centre and in Maharashtra, but in early 2018, the Sena had announced that it would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the Maharashtra Assembly elections separately over disagreements with the BJP.

Maharashtra is politically a crucial state in terms of numbers of MPs it sends to the Lok Sabha. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP contested 24 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and the Shiv Sena 20 seats. The BJP won 23 seats and the Shiv Sena bagged 18, so collectively the alliance won 41 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra.

During the bypolls to Palghar Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra in May 2018, the Sena and the BJP contested separately and engaged in a bitter campaign against each other. After this, the rift between the two saffron parties had widened so much that many thought reconciliation was out of question and the parting of the two was on the cards.

But in June 2018, BJP president Amit Shah called on Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence 'Matoshree' and the meeting reportedly lasted for over two hours. Since then, the Sena seemed to have mellowed a little, but it was not that it totally speaking against the BJP. Since Shah's meeting the attacks, comparitively, seemed less scathing.

Both parties are, in a way, ideologically similar and are seen as right wing parties espousing Hindutva. Many political observers also feel that if the BJP and Shiv Sena fight it alone, right-wing votes would be split hurting both parties.

In a bid to end the differences, a meeting took place on Thursday (February 14) between Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis had earlier expressed that both parties would suffer if the alliance ends.

Both parties seem to have understood this and are working towards reconciliation. Indian Express reported that Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray have reached a broad understanding over the sharing of seats.

"BJP President Amit Shah and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray will address a joint press conference later today. An announcement on the alliance will be made in the press conference today," Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut told ANI today (February 18).

Shah is scheduled to address a party meeting in Jaipur on Monday. After that, he would fly to Mumbai to announce the deal along with Uddhav.

An Indian Express report while quoting sources said that Shah adopted a rather magnanimous attitude to keep the Sena aboard the NDA. The exact numbers of the two parties were yet to be fixed, but the Indian Express report claimed that the two leaders were working on the 50-50 formula for dividing Vidhan Sabha seats between themselves. This was in accordance with the Sena demand.