MUMBAI: After days of standoff the BJP and the Shiv Sena on Tuesday indicated a positive approach towards government formation in Maharashtra. While Shiv Sena said that there is no political crisis in the state, the BJP said that a proposal from its ally is being expected.
“We are waiting for a proposal from the Shiv Sena and our doors are open 24 hours for them. We shall form the new government of the “Maha-Yuti” as soon as possible,” state BJP President Chandrakant Patil told reporters after a three-hour-long meeting of the party’s core committee at the CM’s official residence Varsha.
However, the party doesn’t appear to have diluted its stand on sharing the CM’s post. This was stressed by Patil who said, “We are sure that the “MahaYuti” government would be soon formed under Devendra Fadnavis.”
Earlier in the day, senior Shiv Sena leader and industry minister Subhash Desai, who visited Nanded along with party chief Uddhav Thackeray, told reporters that there was no political crisis in the state.
“The government will be formed in due course. We are here to ensure that the farmers get proper compensation for the losses they have incurred due to unseasonal rains,” Desai said.
State finance minister and one of the members of the state BJP core committee, Sudhir Mungantiwar, while replying to a query, said that the party is open to discuss “any” issue provided the Shiv Sena comes forward with a proposal.
“All the issues would be resolved if Sena leaders respond to our appeal and come forth for talks over government formation,” said irrigation minister Girish Mahajan, who too is a member of the state BJP’s core team.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and editor of the party mouthpiece Saamana, Sanjay Raut, who has been the party’s leading face on government formation before the media for the past few days, welcomed the BJP’s gestures, but said that the party would prefer it “in writing”.
“The demand was raised in the meeting of party MLAs that whatever we decide with the BJP in future should be in writing. Hence, we would like to have any communication from them in writing,” Raut said.
Earlier in the day, the editorial in Saamana had blamed Fadnavis for the “political situation” in the state.
“When the outgoing chief minister of Maharashtra lands in Mumbai after visiting Delhi which is witnessing worst smog, he will have to take some steps. The direction of Maharashtra (politics) will depend on the steps to be taken by Fadnavis,” the editorial had said.
“Formation of a government is important not only in the interest of the nation but also for the people of Maharashtra,” it said.
Meanwhile, Kishor Tiwari, a farm leader from Yavatmal in Vidarbha, who had joined the Sena just ahead of the assembly polls, wrote to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to intervene to resolve the political impasse over government formation in the state.