MUMBAI: The BJP and the Shiv Sena both have claimed that they would form the government in Maharashtra, though the parties have not been talking to each other and no combination for government formation seems to be emerging on Saturday.
“If BJP fails to form the government, Shiv Sena will give a magical figure of 145. Shiv Sena is very capable of forming the government. We are ready. We have the support letter of people who are ready to help us to form the government. We will take it to the Governor if BJP fails to form a government,” Shiv Sena MP and editor of party mouthpiece Saamana, Sanjay Raut, has said.
On the other said, state finance minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungahtiwar too expressed confidence that the government will be formed by Wednesday or Thursday (November 6 or 7) and added that Shiv Sena and Congress won’t be able to form the government in the state.
“I feel the impasse will end soon and a MahaYuti Government will be in place by November 7. We want Shiv Sena to be with us in the government,” he said.
Saturday also saw several meetings in the BJP camp. The organization secretaries on national and state level, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil and other office bearers, ministers and elected members had meetings in Mumbai. However, they were confined to some party organizational issues and a few forthcoming events, party sources said.
Though abuzz with meetings, party sources said that no talks are being conducted between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. While sources in Shiv Sena camp too confirmed that there were no talks, they gave positive signals indicating the formation of government. “Achche Din Aanewale Hain. You shall hear good news from us by Wednesday or Thursday (Nov. 6 - 7),” said a senior party functionary on condition of anonymity.
Leaders of smaller allies of the saffron camp called on governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Saturday and formally requested him to call BJP for government formation as it is the largest single party in the assembly. Raut took potshots at the act saying that since it is over a week after the assembly results, the governor should have suo motu acted and called BJP for government formation.
NCP leader Sharad Pawar wound up his tour of rain-ravaged farms in Nashik midway to address a meeting of key party leaders in Mumbai. He would be travelling to Delhi tomorrow to attend a meeting of opposition parties under Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Plight of farmers whose crops have been damaged was discussed at the meeting, state party president Jayant Patil said after the meeting in Mumbai.
Earlier in the day Pawar and Raut lashed out at Mungantiwar for ‘threatening’ with president’s rule in the state.
“Have the president rested his rights with Mungantiwar,” asked Pawar, while Raut said, “The BJP that once used to threaten with ED now threats with ‘president’s rule’.”
A group within Congress is still advocating lending support to Shiv Sena for government formation. However, the voice went feeble on Saturday.