Seat-sharing row: Shiv Sena raking up issues to put BJP in dock
Mumbai, Sep 17: Amid talks of the BJP seeking more seats than the Shiv Sena for the upcoming Maharashtra polls, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is trying to corner the senior ally over the Aarey land, induction of leaders from the Congress and NCP and the Ram temple issues.
The BJP, however, said the Sena needs to look at things practically in view of the Amit Shah-led party's vote share going up in the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year.
In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the Sena is ready for a 135 seats each formula with the BJP, while leaving 18 seats for their allies.
But, the BJP no longer seems willing to accept it.
"The BJP is not willing to give more than 120 seats to the Sena and we don't approve of it. Before the announcement of alliance in February this year, Uddhavji and BJP president Amit Shah agreed to contest equal number of seats in the Assembly polls," a senior Sena leader said.
However, a BJP leader pointed out that as compared to the 2014 polls, the party's vote share increased in the Lok Sabha elections this year.
"It is a fact that our leader (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi's image has helped some of the 18 Sena Lok Sabha members to retain their seats. Hence, we expect to contest more seats than the Sena, and it is based on the (latest) trends," he said.
With the BJP seemingly firm on contesting more seats, the Sena has been trying to put it in the dock by opposing the proposed tree felling in Aarey Colony here to make way for a Metro car shed.
It also took a jibe at the BJP over its move to induct a number of Congress and NCP leaders, and also reiterated its demand for the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Another BJP leader said this was a "trick" the Sena was playing "to put us on the back foot and negotiate for more seats with us".
"What the Sena needs to understand is that going by the mandate we got in the Lok Sabha polls, it needs to think practically. The BJP has increased its strength in rural areas as well," he said.
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RR beat RCB by six wickets in IPL
Guwahati (PTI): Blistering fifties by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL match here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, RCB rode on a fighting half-century by skipper Rajat Patidar (63) to post 201 for 8.
Virat Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) also chipped in with useful contributions.
In reply, Sooryavanshi (78 off 26 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (81 not out off 43 balls) shared a 37-ball 108-run partnership for the second wicket to set the platform. Krunal Pandya (2/30) tried to bring them back with back-to-back wickets.
But Jurel, in the company of Ravindra Jadeja (24), completed the task with another 68-run stand, with two overs to spare.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/33), Ravi Bishnoi (2/32) and Brijesh Sharma (2/37) took two wickets.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37).
Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44).
