Maharashtra Assembly Elections: Shiv Sena-BJP in conflict over one-upmanship

MUMBAI: The BJP and Shiv Sena are engaged in a bitter battle of one-upmanship before seat-sharing talks begin for the Maharashtra assembly elections.

The allies are competing with each other to poach disgruntled MLAs from the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine, a strategy that both partners believe would give them more bargain power when they start sharing seats.

Sawantwadi MLA Deepak Kesarkar, who on Sunday announced that he was quitting the NCP and would be joining the Sena, was approached by the BJP when it came to know that he was in touch with the Sena.

Kesarkar on Monday confirmed that the BJP had approached him with an offer to join the party. "Yes, I was approached by someone close to Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar asking me to join the BJP," he said. "However, I told them that it was not possible since I had already initiated talks with the Sena."