Thaindian News

Mumbai, Nov 7 (IANS) The Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine and its new ally, the Republican Party of India (RPI), Monday moved closer to finalising a seat sharing formula for the ensuing crucial elections to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, officials said.

According to a tentative understanding, the Sena will contest 138 seats, BJP 63 and the RPI 22 seats in the February 2012 elections to the 227-member house.

A final decision on the remaining four seats will be taken within a week, said a spokesperson for RPI chief Ramdas Athawale.

Another major contender, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has already announced that it would go it alone in the BMC polls.

The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have been blowing hot and cold with some factions from both sides demanding that their respective parties should contest independently.

While the Sena has given 15 seats from its existing share, the BJP has parted with seven to accommodate the RPI. The Sena is likely to concede four more seats to the RPI for which hectic negotiations are underway.

Incidentally, in the past few months, the RPI chief had demanded 62 seats, then scaled it down to 40.

The three-party alliance, formed earlier this year, held a huge public rally in Mumbai early June as a show of strength prior to the civic body elections.

However, it is not yet clear whether a similar seat-share formula will be applicable for the elections to other major civic bodies like Thane, Pune, and Nashik - also scheduled in February 2012.

Now, the focus will be on the list of candidates from all parties which are likely to be announced by early-December.

All political parties are facing a tricky situation in view of the 50 percent reservation for women candidates in the local body elections.