AMN / MUMBAI
The BJP today announced that it would not form government in Maharashtra in view of the ally Shiv Sena’s stand to not join them in the efforts.
State BJP president, Chandrakant Patil today informed that the BJP cannot form the government and they have conveyed the same to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Maharashtra BJP President said that they fought under the banner of grand alliance.
He added that as Shiv Sena does not want to come with the BJP, it has betrayed the mandate. The Maharashtra BJP’s core committee members led by the acting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met the governor in the evening. The Governor has now asked the leader of elected members of the second-largest party, the Shiv Sena, Eknath Shinde to indicate the willingness and ability of his party to form the government.
The BJP’s core committee held two meetings in the day. Devendra Fadnavis, state unit head Chandrakant Patil, and senior leaders Girish Mahajan, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Ashish Shelar and Pankaja Munde attended the meetings. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari yesterday asked the BJP, the single largest party in the new Assembly, to indicate the willingness and ability to form government.
The BJP won 105 seats in the October 21 elections, while the majority mark in the 288-member Assembly is 145. Its ally Shiv Sena won 56 seats, but the two parties are bickering over the chief minister’s post. The term of the 13th state Assembly ended yesterday.
SHIV SENA INVITED TO FORM GOVT
Meanwhile Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked Shiv Sena to indicate “willingness and ability” to form government in the state hours after the BJP gave him a negative response on the matter.
The Sena called a late-night meeting of the top leaders to discuss the offer. Earlier in the evening, the BJP said it would not stake claim to form government.
“If the Shiv Sena wants to insult the mandate of the people and form government with the support of the NCP and Congress, they have our best wishes,” the BJP said. Minutes later, Sena’s Sanjay Raut said the state will have a Sena Chief Minister “at any cost”.
Without spelling anything out, Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party said it would “support a stable government”.