Maharashtra govt formation: The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena are yet to work out their power-sharing formula four days after the election verdict showed the two alliance partners having the numbers required to form the government for the second time in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena has strengthened its demand and asked the saffron party to follow the 50:50 formula agreed by both the party leaders in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election 2019. Some Shiv Sena leaders have openly called for a 2.5-year tenure as Chief Minister for Aditya Thackerey, a demand that the BJP does not appear keen to accommodate. BJP leaders have not commented yet on Shiv Sena’s demand except for the state chief Chandrakant Patil who recently said that every leader has the right to express his views. The saffron party has said that it will hold a legislative party meeting on October 30 to decide the government formation.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis today met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and apprised him on the current situation in the state.
Both the parties together won 161 of 288 seats, crossing the majority mark of 146 required to form the government. The saffron party bagged 105 seats, 17 seats less than what it had got in the last assembly polls. However, the decline in its winning seats can be attributed to a lesser number of seats it contested due to its alliance with Sena. In 2014, BJP and Sena had contested the polls separately and won 122 and 63 seats respectively. This year, the Shiv Sena won 56 of the 124 seats it contested. The opposition parties — Congress and NCP — got 98 seats.
BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao today said that the BJP has emerged as the single largest party by a wide margin with its seats being more than the combined total of the Congress and NCP. "With this public support, Maharashtra will soon get a BJP-led state government that will last a full five-term and fulfill people's aspirations. Maharashtra results are an endorsement of public support for a BJP-led government," he told PTI.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis today instructed the Chief Secretary to provide immediate relief to farmers who were affected by the heavy rains in some parts of the state by completing the survey at the earliest.
Maharashtra BJP chief and state minister Chandrakant Patil will distribute sarees to women in his constituency as a 'Bhau-beej' gift. Patil won from Kothrud assembly seat by defeating MNS candidate Kishor Shinde by over 25,000 votes. "I thought on this 'bhau-beej' (to be celebrated on Tuesday), I should do something for my sisters who are economically backward, live in slums and work as domestic helps. I appealed to some of my friends and several of them have responded positively by giving new sarees," Patil was quoted as saying.
Senior Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari amid the ongoing tussle between BJP and Sena over forming the next state government. The Shiv Sena has been pitching for "equal sharing" of power in the government. Some Sena leaders have asked the BJP to give CM post for Shiv Sainik for 2.5 years.
Shiv Sena has been mounting pressure on the BJP for split chief ministership in the state. Sena wants CM post for 2.5 years. However, the BJP is unlikely to accept the demand. The Sena leaders are demanding written assurance from the saffron party for CM post for Shiv Sena. Aditya Thackeray is the Sena candidate for the CM post.
Republican Party President Ramdas Athawale today said that Shiv Sena should accept Deputy CM post for Aditya Thackeray for 5 years and allow Devendra Fadnavis to take over as the chief minister of Maharashtra. He said that Sena is pushing for CM post for 2.5 years but the BJP is unlikely to accede to its demand. Shiv Sena should accept deputy CM post for Aditya Thackeray, he said.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis meets Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan. After the meeting, the chief minister in a tweet said: "Met Hon Governor Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari ji this morning at RajBhavan, Mumbai and wished him on occasion of #Diwali. Also apprised him on the current scenario."
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote to meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari separately. Raj Bhawan has confirmed the meeting saying that it is a courtesy visit during the Diwali festival.