Mumbai: A BJP minister hinted Tuesday hinted at a possible breakthrough in the ongoing stand-off with the Shiv Sena over formation of the Maharashtra government and said that ‘good news’ can come at any moment.
Sena MP Sanjay Raut, however, said his party was firm on a written assurance from the senior alliance partner over power sharing, including rotating the chief minister’s post for 2.5 years. There has been no headway in government formation after results of the October 21 Assembly polls were declared October 24.
“A good news regarding government formation can come at any moment,” Maharashtra Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told reporters after a meeting of state BJP core team at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ official residence Varsha in south Mumbai.
BJP state unit president and minister Chandrakant Patil, who also attended the meeting, said they are now waiting for a proposal from the Shiv Sena.
“We have extended our complete support to Devendra Fadnavis as leader of the legislative wing of the party in Maharashtra,” asserted Patil. “The Shiv Sena has so far not given us any proposal. BJP’s doors are open 24×7 for them. We don’t have any doubt that a Fadnavis-led government will be formed soon,” added the minister.
Meanwhile Raut once more reiterated Tuesday that Maharashtra’s next chief minister will be from the Sena. He said the politics of Maharashtra was changing and his party would win in its fight for justice.
“The decision on Maharashtra will be taken in Maharashtra and the chief minister will be from the Shiv Sena,” Raut said. He told a TV channel later that it was ‘very understanding’ of the BJP to broach the subject of sharing of Maharashtra CM’s post for 2.5 years.
Meanwhile in a separate, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationialist Congress Party (NCP) said a political alternative can be worked out in Maharashtra if the Shiv Sena declared that it had snapped the ties with the BJP.
NCP sources said their party wants Arvind Sawant, the lone Shiv Sena minister in the Union Government, to resign before going ahead further with discussions.
“Nothing like it if the BJP gives the Shiv Sena the chief minister’s post. But if the BJP is refusing, an alternative can be given. But the Sena should declare that it is no longer associated with the BJP and NDA. An alternative can be provided after that,” NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
PTI