Mahayuti awaits "miracle" for salvation

Maybe in few hours, the fate of BJP-Shiv Sena coalition will be sealed when the parties will announce their candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls next month. 

The tug-of-war between the two allies is going on for few weeks with each party demanding a formidable portion of seats to contest and the other quashing it. 

According to media reports, whether the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will “make or break”, is expected to be declared by Monday evening. 

The two parties so far on Sunday failed to arrive at a seat-sharing agreement despite long backroom consultations in both the political camps. 

The latest controversy cropped up on Monday morning when rumour regarding conversation between BJP national President Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray were reported in  the media.

On Monday morning, media reports had claimed that in a bid to salvage his party's 25-year-old alliance in Maharashtra for the upcoming Assembly polls, Shah telephoned Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. 

According to reports, Shah insisted Thackeray that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance must continue and urged Sena chief to rethink on the proposal to the BJP in which they refused to yield beyond 119 seats to the coalition partner. 

But, later, those were dismissed by the Sena, who clarified that Uddhav Thackeray has not received any call from Shah.  

It has been learnt that  Maharashtra state BJP poll in-charge Om Mathur on Monday arrived in Mumbai to hold talks with the Shiv Sena chief in connection with the matter. 

But, if media reports are to be believed, the two sides are also keeping all options open. 

It has been learnt that, both the BJP and the Sena have prepared themselves with lives beyond the alliance and are reported to have already finished short-listing candidates for next month's polls.

Announcement has not been done yet, owing to the fact that “talks are still on”. 

But, if the alliance fails then the list will be announced on Monday evening. 

It has been learnt that, the BJP unit in Maharashtra is, however, ready to go alone if the Sena is unwilling to accept its demand of 135 seats. 

In a marathon meeting in New Delhi on Sunday, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah were present, the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) is understood to have shortlisted 120 candidates. 

Similarly, the Shiv Sena has also prepared their list. But, both of them have till now refrained themselves from announcing the list, awaiting the outcome of last efforts to avoid split in the alliance. 

According to BJP sources, Modi is eager to avoid any unpleasant situation and continue with the alliance despite his displeasure about Uddhav’s “audacious” comment on giving seats. 

On Friday, Sena chief made it clear to BJP that, in Maharashtra the Shiv Sena is a party that gives, not a party that takes. 

Now, with clock running out, both the parties had hit the “emergency button” are trying to salvage the long “relationship” between them by holding talks at various levels, media reported.