JOIN USMaha impasse continues, some clarity may emerge today
A clarity on the future course of Maharashtra's political scenario is expected on Wednesday. Both the BJP and Shiv Sena, however, maintained that the post of Chief Minister is "non-negotiable" for them.
While BJP leaders maintained that Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, who has been re-elected as the BJP's legislature party leader, will be given a second term, the Shiv Sena made it clear that the CM will be from their party and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will take a final call on the name.
On Tuesday midnight, Fadnavis air dashed to Nagpur and met RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat. The details of the meeting is not known but it needs to be mentioned that veteran farmers' leader Kishor Tiwari, who is an advisor of Thackeray, had sought the intervention of RSS and requested that Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to be deployed to sort out the issue between the two saffron allies.
Meanwhile, NCP founder-President Sharad Pawar is expected to address a press conference at 12:30 pm and make his party's stand clear. Couple of days ago, Pawar had met Congress' interim President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.
While NCP has asked the Shiv Sena to come out of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre to start any talks, the Congress leadership in Maharashtra is divided on the issue of any possible support to the Shiv Sena.
The Congress is unlikely to support Shiv Sena.
On Tuesday, three senior BJP leaders including state BJP President Chandrakant Patil, Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan claimed that the CM would be from the BJP that too Fadnavis. However, Uddhav's Man Friday Sanjay Raut reminded that the allies would have to abide by the 50-50 power sharing formula decided in the February meeting between Thackeray and BJP President Amit Shah.