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Maharashtra Legislative Assembly dissolved

Decks were cleared tonight for simultaneous State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra with Governor P C Alexander formally dissolving the State Legislative Assembly, accepting the recommendations of Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance government.

Earlier, the State Cabinet took the decision to seek simultaneous elections at a hurriedly convened meeting held at the Sahyadri Guest House. The decision came soon after the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance decided to advance the assembly election in the state so as to conduct it with the general election to the thirteenth Lok Sabha. The dates for the general election in Maharashtra are September 4 and 11.

This decision was taken at a meeting of the co-ordination committee of the alliance in Bombay chaired by Sena leader Bal Thackeray and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan.

Thackeray said the decision to hold simultaneous elections in the state was taken in view of the situation prevailing in the country and the benefit the alliance is expected to get from it.

He said the pros and cons of advancing the dates of the assembly election were discussed threadbare. Both sides put forth their views frankly and there was no question of one side trying to coerce the other to accept its view, he said.

UNI

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