An alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena to contest the upcoming general elections together would be announced in the week following this Sunday. Word was awaited from the parties on Thursday night itself when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray met at the latter's residence, Matoshri, in Bandra. But it was put off following the Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel. According to a senior minister from the Fadnavis cabinet, it is likely that BJP chief Amit Shah would fly down to Mumbai for the announcement of the BJP-Sena alliance. "It could be any time after this Sunday," said the minister. On Thursday, senior ministers from BJP and Sena including Chandrakant Patil and Subhash Desai were present when Fadnavis met with Thackeray. Leaders from the two parties have been in talks over the last two to three weeks. When it became clear that the two were certain to join forces for the summer polls, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut floated the idea of regaining 'big brother' status for his party. There is no official word on a seat-sharing formula, but party sources told DNA that the Sena is trying to drive a hard bargain, by demanding the post of chief minister in the state. It's logic: 'BJP ruled in New Delhi with their Prime Minister, the states should be left to alliance partners, like Akali Dal in Punjab and JDU in Bihar.' BJP leaders, though, want to retain the seats won by the alliance, citing its performance in all local body elections after 2014 (when it assumed power at the Centre) and its increased strength. FINGERS CROSSED

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