The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena have decided to contest both Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections together, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in Mumbai on Monday.

Addressing a media conference along with BJP national president Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Mr. Fadnavis announced that the BJP will contest from 25 seats while Shiv Sena will fight from 23 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"Assembly seats will be decided after talks with other allies," Mr. Fadnavis said.  He said both the the saffron parties will contest on a 50:50 basis.

Noting that both the parties are in alliance for more than 25 years, Mr. Fadnavis said "both parties have come together for larger public good."

"Both parties consider constructing Ram temple in Ayodhya as of matter of national pride. Both of us want a temple there and we have promised to Sena that the temple will be built," Mr. Fadnavis said. Shiv Sena has been vocal in expressing its disappointment of note bringing a solution to the Ram temple issue in the NDA government's tenure.

Shiv Sena's another demand, to move Nanar oil refinery project out of Ratnagiri district, has also been accepted.

"Ram mandir is an issue on which the original alliance took place," Mr. Thackeray recalled and asserted that "temple has to be built there." Thanking the government for accepting the party's demand on Nanar oil refinery, Mr. Thackeray noted that the local population was against it. "If they are against it, then don't bring it here," he said.

"We can't let misunderstanding between us to allow those parties to ruled for 50 years to rule again," Mr. Thackeray said.