Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray ‘very keen’ on coalition government with BJP: Athawale

Mumbai: Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale on Friday claimed that Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray was "very keen" on forming coalition with the estranged ally BJP for formation of government in Maharashtra.

"Uddhav Thackeray told me that he is very keen on forming the next government in alliance with BJP...Details of how the portfolios will be shared will be revealed once the talks take place in the next two days. But there is no doubt about the alliance of both parties now. Uddhav is completely ready to support BJP," Athawale told PTI after meeting the Sena chief here this afternoon.

RPI is a part of BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra that fought the Assembly elections. Before it parted ways, Sena too was a part of this alliance.

Asked if Thackeray will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Diwali dinner for NDA allies on October 26, Athawale said, "It does not really matter whether Uddhav attends the dinner or not. (Union minister) Anant Geete and other Sena MPs will attend."

Athawale also claimed that the tension between the two Saffron allies during the campaigning -- when Shiv Sena had launched a sharp attack on BJP -- was now a thing of the past, and the relations would be normal soon.

BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the just-concluded state elections, but does not have majority.

While it won 122 seats of the 288-member house, Sena won 63.