MUMBAI: As the Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to form its first government in Maharashtra on Friday, Shiv Sena warned its former ally against accepting support of the Nationalist Congress Party to prove majority, saying such a tie up would raise questions about its credibility.
In an editorial in the party mouthpiece ' Saamana', Sena, however, praised the chief minister - designate Devendra Fadnavis and said the state can expect 'acchhe din' (good days) under him and prime minister Narendra Modi.
Reminding its estranged ally about its poll promise of a corruption free and Congress-NCP free state, Sena asked BJP whether it would accept the NCP support to prove majority in the Vidhan Sabha.
"It is okay to say that you will form a minority government and even manage to run it. But running such a government is against the Constitution," the editorial read.
The party also sought to remind Fadnavis that he comes from the Vidarbha region where the 'NCP had carried out a huge irrigation scam.'
"(Sharad) Pawar has extended support without being asked for it, but will the (Devendra) Fadnavis government run with the help of Pawar's support?" the Sena said.
Sena, however, expressed pleasure over Fadnavis leading the state and said that it is a matter of pride that Maharashtra is once again being led by Vidarbha and that it is responsibility of Fadnavis to fulfill people's aspirations. "It should be kept in mind that Maharashtra needs a stable government and a stable CM. The son of Vidarbha's soil will now be leading the government and we believe that he will always keep his feet firmly on the ground," it said.
BJP's strength in the 288-member Assembly has come down to 121 after the death of an MLA. Sena has 63 members. Sharad Pawar's NCP with 41 MLAs has already offered crucial outside support to BJP and said it will abstain from voting if the new government has to face trust vote to prove its majority.
The 25-year-old BJP-Shiv Sena alliance came to an end after both the parties failed to reach a consensus on seat sharing before the Assembly polls.
(With inputs from PTI)