Mumbai, July 27 (IANS) The NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday downplayed veteran BJP leader Narayan Rane’s statement that the BJP should contest all the 288 Assembly seats in the upcoming elections in Maharashtra.

NCP chief spokesperson Anand Paranjpe said that Rane has already clarified that it was a personal remark, adding that at a recent rally Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar categorically said that the three parties will contest the ensuing assembly election as MahaYuti (grand alliance).

On statements by some NCP leaders that the party should get 90 seats, Paranjpe said that the coordination among the three parties is quite good and the senior leaders will announce the seat sharing arrangement at a proper time.

To a question on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s announcement to go solo in the assembly election, Paranjpe said he has already declared his party’s stand at his party’s meeting. To another question on the possibility of the MNS joining the MahaYuti, Paranjpe said the senior leaders of the three parties will take a decision in this regard.

Meanwhile, in the run up to the assembly election, Maharashtra NCP president and MP Sunil Tatkare's Jan Sanman Yatra will be held in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts on July 28 and 29. This was announced by the party general secretary and legislator Shivajirao Garje here on Saturday. Tatkare has earlier held the Jan Sanman Yatra in various assembly segments of Ahilyanagar.