Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the BJP and the Shiv Sena will contest the next month's Assembly polls together. The CM also exuded confidence that he will retain the post after elections. He dismissed media reports that the BJP will contest 162 out of total 288 seats and the Sena 126. Fadnavis' remarks come a day after Sena president Uddhav Thackeray asserted that both the parties will contest the elections in an alliance, and that an announcement on the seat-sharing formula will be made in a couple of days. Maharashtra will go for a single-phase election on October 21. Counting of votes will be taken up on October 24.

"I am saying with no uncertainty that we will contest the Assembly polls along with Shiv Sena. The seat-sharing talks are still on, do not trust the reports," Fadnavis said while speaking at the "India Today Conclave 2019" being held in Mumbai. Referring to the Sena pitching for equal sharing of the 288 seats, the chief minister said all details about the seat-sharing arrangements will be formally announced at a press briefing. To a question, Fadnavis said the BJP did not dictate terms to the Sena and that decisions between them are taken "amicably".