Amid strained relations, Sena-BJP committee to meet on February 17

MUMBAI: Amid the current tension between the ruling allies BJP and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, first meeting of the coordination committee of two parties will take place here on February 17.

Sena spokesperson said the meeting would take place in the afternoon.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve and cooperation minister Chandrakant Patil will represent BJP while industries minister Subhash Desai, transport minister Diwakar Raote and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai will represent Shiv Sena.

The committee was proposed for smooth functioning of the coalition government. The previous Sena-BJP government of 1995-1999 too had a coordination committee, which consisted of the late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and the late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan.

Relations between the saffron allies are strained at the moment, with Shiv Sena taking swipes at BJP over latter's rout in Delhi Assembly polls and the war of words between Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse and his junior minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rathod over allocation of work.