MUMBAI: The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is likely to take at least four-five days more to form government in Maharashtra, sources said as the one-upmanship between the two allies intensified on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said no decision was made regarding sharing of CM’s post on rotational basis. In response, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray cancelled a meeting called to decide upon power sharing.
Fadnavis, however, expressed confidence that his party would be able to mend ways with the Sena and won’t have to go the 2014 way when the BJP had formed a minority government which sailed through the trust vote on the floor of the House with the help of NCP.
On occasion of 'Diwali Milan' at his residence, Fadnavis told reporters, "The issue of sharing the CM’s post was never raised in front of me." He added that when he checked with party president Amit Shah, he was told that the issue neither prop up during Shah’s discussions with the Sena chief nor before the Lok Sabha election. Fadnavis said he was confident that the government will be formed under BJP soon. "All the demands put forth by the Shiv Sena would be discussed and agreed on merit," he said.
Later, Sena leader Sanjay Raut, then told the media that Thackeray has cancelled a meeting scheduled in the evening to decide upon the details of government formation. "Everybody has listened to what CM Fadnavis had said while announcing the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance before the Lok Sabha election. He had spoken about equitable distribution of posts and power. If now the BJP leaders are going back on their words, there is no need of a meeting and hence it has been cancelled," Raut said.
“If they are denying what was discussed before Lok Sabha, we will have to change the definition of truth,” he added.
'Undue criticism hurting alliance'
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and editor of party mouthpiece Saamana, Sanjay Raut, on Tuesday said that his party shouldn’t be forced to execute the ‘alternatives’ it has in terms of government formation. CM Devendra Fadnavis, in turn, said that undue criticism of the BJP by Saamana was hurting the alliance.