Maha stalemate: BJP wants Sena to make first move

Suspense over the government formation in Maharashtra continued on Monday, with the BJP making it clear that the Shiv Sena has to make the first move to break the stalemate, while NCP chief Sharad Pawar indicated that he has still kept options open of propping up an alternative in the state.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis flew in to the national capital on Monday morning and drove straight to BJP President Amit Shah’s residence to discuss the political situation in the state, even as ally Shiv Sena continued with its brinkmanship on the chief minister’s post.

After 40-minute discussions with Shah, Fadnavis underlined the need for Maharashtra to have a new government. “A new government will be in place soon, I am confident about that,” he told reporters in Delhi.

BJP sources also made it clear that there was no discussion with the Shiv Sena about sharing the chief minister’s post, but conceded that sharing of portfolios equally could be considered.

Maharashtra can have 43 ministers, including the chief minister, sources said, adding that it will have to leave aside four ministerial berths for its minor allies and the balance 38 portfolios can be shared equally with the Sena.

However, for that to happen, sources said the Shiv Sena leadership has to make the first move to break the stalemate. “They have shut the door on us, they have to take the first step to open it,” a senior BJP leader said, adding the central leadership of the party would visit Mumbai only after initial round of talks with the state leaders of both parties.

Fadnavis also held meetings with senior BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari and Bhupendra Yadav.

Pawar meets Sonia

As the Shiv Sena-BJP deadlock continued, Pawar met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the unfolding political situation in Maharashtra. According to his assessment, Pawar said, the mood of the people in Maharashtra is against the BJP.

Gandhi has already ruled out support for the Shiv Sena, but Pawar appeared to keep political circles guessing by saying that he would have another round of meeting with Sonia after meeting his party colleagues in Mumbai on Tuesday.

“As on today, we (NCP-Congress) do not have the numbers. The mandate for us is to sit in the Opposition. But I cannot say what will happen later,” Pawar told reporters when asked whether he was exploring the possibility of giving the state an alternative government.

“Nobody has sought our support yet,” Pawar said when asked about the Shiv Sena’s claims of having the necessary numbers to form the government.

In the October 21 polls, the BJP won 105 seats followed by the Shiv Sena 56, the NCP 54 and the Congress 44.