Amit Shah calls BJP core group meet to decide on alliance in Maharashtra, Haryana on September 26

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah is scheduled to hold a crucial meeting of top party leaders on Thursday to decide on the vexed issue of stitching an alliance for contesting the upcoming assembly election in two states – Haryana and Maharashtra.

Thursday’s meeting has been called ahead of the crucial Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting which is likely to be held on Sunday. According to reports, tomorrow’s meeting will be attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and State Core Committee leaders from Maharashtra and Haryana at the party headquarters in Delhi.

Chaired by Amit Shah, the meeting is also likely to be attended by the party’s working president JP Nadda, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP’s Haryana in-charge Anil Jain and Haryana election in-charge Narendra Singh Tomar among others. The meeting has been called to discuss candidates and party’s poll strategy ahead of the key CEC meet on Sunday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be back after attending the UN General Assembly session in the US.

It may be noted that Thursday’s meeting has been called as uncertainty still prevails over BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra as the two sides are yet to reach a consensus over seat-sharing.

Importantly, Nadda had met Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday to discuss alliance in Haryana.

The BJP is likely to announce its candidates’ list for Haryana soon after Sunday`s CEC meeting, during the Navaratri celebrations to drive home a point.

The saffron party has little time left as the Election Commission has fixed October 4 as the last date for filing nomination.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly will go to the polls on October 21, while the results will be declared on October 24.

The BJP, which is in power in the state, has announced that it wishes to repeat it`s incumbent Chief Minister should it return for a second term.

In Maharashtra, the party is yet to announce an alliance with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

The saffron party and the Shiv Sena had contested the 2014 state assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula.

However, they formed the government in the alliance after the elections as none of them was able to secure the majority on its own.

Elections to elect the 288 members of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly will be held on October 21. The counting of votes shall take place on October 24.