BJP delegation to meet Guv as Sena runs out of options

A delegation of BJP will meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday as Shiv Sena seems to run out of options after the NCP-Congress rejected any help for the government formation.

State BJP President and Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil and Finance, Planning and Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar will meet Governor and apprise him of the political situation and the damages that farmers suffered because of unseasonal rains and remedial measures by the government.

It is not yet known whether the BJP will stake claim to form the government.

"We will be forming the government with Shiv Sena. We do not have anything else in our mind. I and Chandrakant Patil will be meeting the Governor on Thursday," Mungantiwar said.

The state BJP has re-elected incumbent Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as legislature party leader to lead the state again but Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray is annoyed with him.

The development comes after Fadnavis airdashed to Nagpur and met RSS chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday night and the BJP core committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Incidentally, Mungantiwar, who is close to Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, has been maintaining: "You will get good news soon."

The Shiv Sena, that has been adamant on the post of Chief Minister and a 50-50 power-sharing ratio, has not reacted to the development.

Thackeray has convened a meeting of legislators and top leaders on Thursday to decide on the future course of action.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena seems to be isolated as no firm word came from NCP and Congress.

"We don't want a Constitutional crisis in Maharashtra. Where is the question of Shiv Sena-NCP government? They (Sena and BJP) have been together for the last 25 years and they will come back again," said NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, a former minister in the Congress-led UPA government.

"The present situation in Maharashtra is because of BJP not taking its allies into confidence. That is why Shiv Sena is disturbed and there is tension between the two. There cannot be a solution till Shiv Sena withdraws from the (NDA) alliance," senior Congressman and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said.