Maharashtra tussle: Will stake claim if BJP fails to form government, says Shiv Sena
Mumbai/IBNS: Trying to suggest the possibility of a non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena has said it will stake claim to form the state government if the saffron party fails to prove its majority, media reports said.
The Sena is expected to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday evening and ask him to invite BJP, the single largest party with 105 seats, to stake claim to form the government.
The tussle between the two parties began after the results of the state polls were declared on Oct 24 with the Sena's demand of 50:50 power share with the BJP in the next government including Chief Minister's post for 2.5 years, something which has been denied by the BJP so far.
As the BJP remains firm in pushing its legislative party leader Devendra Fadnavis to become the Chief Minister for the second straight term, the Sena claimed it can form the government with the support of 170 MLAs fuelling speculations about the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)- which have 44 and 54 seats respectively- coming into play.
The Sena has won 56 seats. Adding up the seats of Sena, Congress and NCP, the tally goes up to 154 while the majority mark is 145 in a 288-member assembly.
However, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who will meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi in the national capital on Monday, refuted Sena's claim and said he is not aware of how the BJP's ally is getting the figure of 170.
Earlier Pawar had said people have given them a mandate to sit in the Opposition.
Ajit Pawar, the NCP leader and party chief's nephew, on Sunday said he received a text message from Sena MP Sanjay Raut, "Namashkar Main Sanjay Raut. Jai Maharashtra."
In its editorials in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena in last few days hurled barbs on the BJP even criticising several policies of the central government.
The new government will have to be formed on or before Nov 9, failing which presidential rule might be imposed in the western state.
Image Credit: Shiv Sena Twitter
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