AMN / MUMBAI
Tussle between the BJP- Shiv Sena continued for the ninth day today over power-sharing in Maharashtra even as the term of the existing 13th legislative assembly of Maharashtra ends on November 9.
The BJP has secured 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, Congress 44 and the Nationalist Congress Party 54 in the recently concluded assembly polls.
Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar expressed confidence that the new government in the state will be formed before 10th of November.
Appealing the Shiv Sena to give up its adamant stand, Mr Mungantiwar said people have given a mandate to BJP and Shiv Sena, and hence both the parties should respect the mandate and come together to form the new government.
The Shiv Sena and the BJP, who fought the Maharashtra election in an alliance, have the numbers to form the government, but the parties have been fighting over the chief minister’s post. The Shiv Sena wants the chief minister’s to be rotated between the two parties while the BJP is no mood to do so.
Today, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Samana criticised the BJP over a comment made by the outgoing government’s Finance Minister Sudhir Mungatiwar. Mungatiwar had said President’s rule would have to be imposed in Maharashtra if a new government does not take oath before the end of the term of the current Maharashtra assembly (November 9).
An editorial in the Samana said the BJP was threatening the party “like Mughals”. The editorial said Mungatiwar’s “threatening” statement was “against democracy and unconstitutional”.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party seems confident of forming the next government. On Saturday, Sudhir Mungatiwar said that the swearing-in of the new government will take place on November 6 or 7 and expressed hope that Shiv Sena would come around.