Senior leader Eknath Shinde was elected unanimously as ShivSena’s legislative party leader in a meeting on Sena MLAs at Matoshree.
Mumbai| The BJP and the ShivSena have been dragging on to form a government in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, a meeting of newly elected MLAs was held at the ShivSena Bhawan in central Mumbai on Thursday to select the leader of the legislative party. Senior leader Eknath Shinde was elected unanimously. Earlier on Wednesday, BJP legislators had elected Devendra Fadnavis as their leader.
BJP offers 14 ministerial posts but Sena demands 18
According to the sources in BJP told that it is willing to offer 14 cabinet berths to ShivSena, whereas the Shivsena is demanding 18. Sena is also demanding plum portfolios, even when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has firmly said he will not give up the important Home and Urban Development portfolios. Meanwhile, the BJP is considering the proposal of giving away other important portfolios like Revenue and Finance or Complete PWD to ShivSena. However, a section of senior leaders is against giving away these portfolios.
‘BJP should follow Rajadharma’
Before the meeting of the ShivSena MLAs, MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “The alliance is still there today. This is what I still believe today. But a formula of 50-50 was set up for the establishment of power. Along with the post of Chief Minister, other important posts should be equally divided. If the BJP has a majority, it should claim power.”
Raut added, “If the big BJP leaders are saying that we have options open, then Shiv Sena is not a smaller party. We are a party older than 50 years. The options are open to all. ”
Uddhav said: BJP has not yet contacted
Amid claims of the BJP forming a coalition government with ShivSena, Uddhav Thackeray said that no one has contacted from the BJP side so far to form a government. In an informal conversation with journalists in Matoshree on Wednesday, Uddhav said that he would do everything possible. Perhaps Uddhav’s gesture was towards alternatives to form a government without BJP in the state.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
