Shiv Sena Seeks Written Assurance from BJP over 50-50 Power Sharing in Maharashtra
MUMBAI : The Shiv Sena today demanded written assurances from allies BJP as power-sharing talks between the two parties delay formation of a new government in Maharashtra. The alliance talks between the Shiv Sena and the BJP in Maharashtra appeared to have hit a roadblock on Saturday after the former put the ball in the latter’s court.
In a meeting of the newly-elected MLAs of the Sena at party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence here, it was decided the party will wait for a written proposal from the senior leaders of the BJP on seat-sharing and alliance.
“We want the BJP to write a letter to us on its letterhead, giving an offer of seat sharing. As per the previous discussion, it has to be a 50-50 seat sharing formula. We will want a rotational chief ministerial term as well.
A Shiv Sainik will be Maharashtra’s chief minister for 2.5 years. Who that person will be is Uddhav Thackeray’s call. We all passed a one-line resolution today, giving all rights of the decision to Uddhav ji,” senior Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik told media.
Uddhav Thackeray also said he had “other options open” but is not interested in exploring them since the BJP and the Sena are bound by the “Hindutva ideology”, the MLA added.
The move to demand a written assurance is viewed as a pressure tactic by the Sena in view of the underwhelming performance of the BJP which won 105 seats, a loss of 17 seats compared to its 2014 tally.
According to political observers, the subdued performance of the BJP has increased the bargaining power of the Sena whose tally too came down to 56 seats from the 63 in 2014. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress bagged 54 and 44 seats, respectively, in the 288-member House. T
he Congress and the NCP are only happy to see this scenario. They have been trying delay tactics to push ahead the date of the formation of government.
Meanwhile, sources within the BJP said there was no question of negotiating on the chief minister’s post.“We have 105 seats, the Sena has 56. How is it possible that a party with 105 seats will have a deputy chief minister and a party with 56 seats will have a chief minister?” said a BJP source.
Sources said the understanding on the position of deputy chief minister was reached during the Lok Sabha elections itself. The BJP is willing to share that position with the Sena. But since the Sena now knows it is in the position of the kingmaker, it wants to fuel its aspirations. And it knows that there is no better time than this.
Sources within the Congress admitted that it was nothing but a delay tactic. “Do you think the Sena will show the courage to leave the BJP?” asked a leader. Aaditya, 29, became the first Thackeray since the party was founded in 1960s to enter the poll fray and win. He won from Worli seat in Mumbai, a Sena pocketborough.
On the day of verdict, Thackeray hardened the Sena’s stand by reminding the BJP of the 50:50 formula “agreed upon” between Amit Shah, himself and Fadnavis ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
“I contested less number of seats for Lok Sabha and assembly elections. I cannot accommodate the BJP everytime. I want to remind the BJP the formula which was worked out in the presence of Amit Shah,” Thackeray had said. According to sources, the formula entails rotational chief ministership between the Sena and the BJP and the equal sharing of Cabinet berths.
(Bureau Report With inputs from agencies)
