BJP: Take anything but chief minister's post; Shiv Sena unmoved

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and CM Devendra Fadnavis

Despite time almost running out, the impasse between the pre-poll alliance partners, BJP and Shiv Sena, doesn't seem like it will end anytime soon. The BJP continued to steadfastly reject the Sena's demand for the CM's position. On Monday, CM Devendra Fadnavis met party president Amit Shah in Delhi, who is reported to have hardened his stand against the Sena and told the CM to wait and watch till the latter concedes ground.

In another development in the national capital, NCP boss Sharad Pawar kept up the Sena's hopes of forming a non-BJP government when he said if he were to answer questions on extending support to the Sena-led formation, he would first need to get a proposal from Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. Sena MP Sanjay Raut had met Pawar twice, but the NCP chief had said their meetings weren't political.

We will form the govt: CM

Speaking to the media on Monday, Fadnavis said, without mentioning the saffron alliance, that his party would form the new government in Maharashtra very soon because the people wanted it. Later, he also discussed the political crisis with union minister and his senior from Nagpur, Nitin Gadkari, who is being seen as a trouble-shooter as well as an alternative CM candidate. mid-day couldn't independently confirm Gadkari's candidature even as many in the BJP reiterated that Fadnavis was the party leadership's first choice.

Worried? Devendra Fadnavis

BJP insiders said the party was willing to offer Sena more in portfolios, but not the CM's post. The official talks haven't moved ahead because both parties are upset with each other. The BJP has taken Sena MP Sanjay Raut's caustic criticism very seriously and wants it stopped immediately, while the Sena is out to prove the BJP leadership liars in view of the rejection of an assurance that it would be allowed to share the CM's position for two-and-a-half years. The indecision in forming the government by the alliance that has enough strength in the house has wasted 11 days after the poll results.

State BJP president told the media in Pune district that the CM and Thackeray were expected to meet soon. He also said that the reported nomination of Gadkari as a CM alternative was the media's creation.

BJP insiders said there was strong possibility of their team taking oath without the Sena, but couldn't respond when asked whether the government would pass the floor test and also win the Speaker's post. The current house dissolves on November 9. The constitutional experts in Vidhan Bhavan were divided in their opinion when asked if the government needed to be put in place before the dissolution. If the crisis intensifies further, will the state have President's rule? Experts couldn't opine unanimously, but Pawar made remarked cryptically, "I don't know whether the President has assured the BJP [to enforce the rule]," he said when asked about a BJP minister's indication that President's rule could come into picture, if need be.

'Won't return to state as CM'

After apprising Congress president Sonia Gandhi of the dramatic situation in Maharashtra, Pawar said the people of the state were strongly opposed to the BJP, but the discussion about supporting the Sena could be discussed only with Thackeray. He said the NCP and Congress were observing the developments closely that established that the Sena wanted to lead the government. "We don't have the numbers, but we understand that the parties who have a majority should form the government at the earliest by sorting internal issues," Pawar said.

However, Pawar flatly denied the possibility of him returning to Maharashtra as the CM of a non-BJP government. He said he would meet Gandhi again in the next two days after discussing further possibilities with the Congress and NCP leaders in Maharashtra. "We will declare our decision after meeting Soniaji again."

'We aren't delaying things'

Shiv Sena leaders Ramdas Kadam and Sanjay Raut meet journalists post their meeting with the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Monday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Sanjay Raut met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to clarify the Sena's position and request him to take the lead in resolving the crisis by inviting the single largest party (BJP) to form the government.

Raut said he had told the governor that the Sena wasn't responsible for delaying government formation. "The state has got a governor who is well-versed with the laws and political situation. I told him that we should not be held responsible for delaying the new government," said Raut.

"We have no idea what has caused the delay. We told the governor that the Sena will support whatever is constitutionally correct. We demanded that the government be formed as early as possible," said the MP.

Interestingly, Raut claimed on Sunday that his party would get 175 MLAs together to form the government without the BJP. When asked, a smiling Pawar said, "I wonder if he [Raut] counted big brother's [BJP] share in the 175."

Sena chief Thackeray hadn't responded till the time of going to print, but it was learnt reliably that he would visit rain-affected farmers in the hinterland on Tuesday as well.

Nov 9 - Day the current House will be dissolved

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