Sharad Pawar: BJP and Shiv Sena may join hands for LS poll, but not for state

Mumbai, Oct 13 NCP chief Sharad Pawar has predicted that the BJP and the Shiv Sena may come together for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, however not for the Assembly polls in Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters here Friday night, Pawar likewise discounted the likelihood of the two races being held at the same time, saying the "circumstance has changed".

The Center has been toying with holding concurrent races for at some point now.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for "widespread" debate on holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies saying it would result in financial savings.

"The BJP and the Shiv Sena may join hands for the Lok Sabha elections, but may not come together for the state Assembly polls," Pawar said.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena, have been in a stressed relationship in spite of sharing power at the Centre and the state.

The Shiv Sena has already announced that it would go solo for the polls. The BJP, then again, is looking at to fashion a alliance with the Sena for the forthcoming elections.

Questioning the credibility of EVMs, the NCP supremo called for the use of ballot papers in the polls. He said the opposition parties may meet inside 15 days to discuss the issue.

Pawar repeated his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) test into the supposed Rafale scam.

He reviewed how the BJP, while in the opposition in the 1980s, had requested a JPC to test into the alleged Bofors scam.

"That demand was fulfilled them," he said including, "Therefore, the demand for a JPC to test into the Rafale issue can't be ignored now.