The government formation in Maharashtra continues to be in a limbo for the 16 th day, with the BJP struggling to find a viable solution.
The Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked the leader of elected members of the single largest party, the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis to indicate the willingness and ability of his party to form the government in Maharashtra. To consider on this proposal the core committee meeting of the BJP has already commenced at 11.00 am in Mumbai
Meanwhile, BJP’s ally Shiv Sena continues to play hard ball and has refused to give up its demand for a Chief Minister’s term of two and a half years. It has shepherded all its MLAs to a resort at Madh Island, in the Western suburbs of Mumbai. This step has been taken to prevent any kind of poaching attempts by the BJP.
The Maharashtra Assembly election results were declared on October 26 with the BJP winning 105 seats and the Sena with 56 seats. Both parties had a pre-poll alliance but after the results Shiv Sena demanded equal power-share status. It said that this issue was discussed with BJP’s President Amit Shah earlier this year and Shah had accepted the demand. The discussion were held during the parliamentary elections. the national election.
However, Fadnavis has maintained that the talks were inconclusive.
PTI adds
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that his party would declare its next move once no one else is able to form government in Maharashtra.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said that his party welcomes the decision of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to invite the BJP to form government in the state. “Now, with the Governor’s intervention, we hope the state will get a government,” he said. “The single largest party had to be called. We fail to understand why the BJP did not stake claim in 24 hours (after results) if it was confident that it had the majority,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
Also read:No love lost between BJP and Shiv Sena
On the Shiv Sena’s future course of action, Raut said, “Let the picture be clear on the first step by the Governor. The Shiv Sena will declare its strategy if no one else is able to form the government.”
On posters put up by Sena workers near Thackeray’s residence here demanding that he be the chief minister, Raut said, “Uddhav Thackeray is the Shiv Sena leader, and he will take an appropriate decision at the right time. He has already said he will make a Shiv Sainik the CM.”
Also read:Approach Shiv Sena if you are ready to share CM post: Sanjay Raut tells BJP
Kharge meets MLAs
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge met the party’s newly-elected MLAs from Maharashtra to discuss the political situation in the state. The party's MLAs are currently staying at a resort in Jaipur.
He met the legislators informally to ascertain their views on what stand the party should take about government formation in Maharashtra, senior congress leader Manikrao Thakare told PTI . “Kharge will then convey the sentiments of the legislators to the party leadership,” Thakare said.
All 44 MLAs, including senior leaders like Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat, were staying at the resort in the Congress-ruled Rajasthan amid fear of “poaching” in view of the stalemate over government formation in Maharashtra.