Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announces an alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, in Mumbai
 
As per the deal, of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Shiv Sena 23.
 
With regard to the polls to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly that has 288 seats later this year, the BJP and Shiv Sena will share a 50:50 ratio after allotting seats to the other NDA allies.
 
The new formula was arrived at during a meeting of the leaders of the two saffron allies led by BJP president Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
 
“There were differences, we have sorted those out and decided to contest the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls together,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
 
Shah and Thackeray termed it a “new beginning”, and said the differences have been ironed out and bitter experiences buried.
 
“We will form the government at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. we will also come to power in Maharashtra,” Shah said.
 
In a related development, the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, that is firming up a ‘mahagathbandhan’, announced its first joint rally on Wednesday, which would be addressed, among others, by Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawar.
 
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is expected to address a rally in Dhule on March 1. Later, a visit by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has also been planned.
 
Last General election BJP in a alliance with Sena contested 24 seas and swept 23 seats and Sena Contested 20 Seats and won 18 seats .
 
This 2019 election with anti establishment factors and agrarian crisis that witnessed  huge protests in the state and unrest of Dalit communities  and minorities   looming large , political pundits in the state predict repeat of 2014 is ruled out .
 
Recently  BJP loss of three crucial states in Hindi heart land to Congress and now the Powerful BSP  SP alliance in Uttar Pradesh    giving imminent  threat to BJP where 129  out of the 282 seats BJP won during 2014 with  less than 10% margin gives jitters to ruling establishment.  
 
Hence the repeat of 2014 results in maharashtra  is crucial for BJP because that will be a  key factor for the renewal of BJP rule in India in 2019 .