Mumbai: Amidst talks of advancing Lok Sabha polls, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani would tomorrow (Dec 30, 2003) meet Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, whose party is a key ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

"Advani will hold talks with the Sena supremo at the latter's suburban Bandra residence and elicit the Sena's views on advancement of general elections," Sena-BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) sources said in Mumbai today (Dec 29, 2003).

Advani, who arrived in the metropolis today to attend some private functions this evening, would meet Thackeray tomorrow morning as part of the BJP's exercise to gauge the response of its allies over the crucial issue of advancing elections.

The Sena sources claimed that BJP has made up its mind to advance the general elections following the party's spectacular victory in three states in the just-concluded Assembly polls. "It (the BJP) is seeking the response of its allies now," the Sena sources added.

A favourable monsoon, BJP's success in recent Assembly polls, image of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, NDA's ability to provide a stable Government and to surprise the opposition were the factors favouring early polls, Sena sources said.

BJP has set a target of 300 seats while the party would be allotting remaining seats to its allies, they claimed.