BJP confident to prove majority even without Shiv Sena

The party unwilling to entertain Shiv Sena but sure to mobilise support on the floor of the house

Confident of proving its majority on the floor of the Legislative Assembly and forming the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to not make any offer to its estranged ally Shiv Sena.

BJP President Amit Shah’s interview to a  newspaper on Tuesday, where he claimed the end of the fragmentation of polity leading to coalitions is near, has enthused party’s leaders in Maharashtra.

Party leaders, who met on Monday night, said succumbing to the Shiv Sena’s pressure would harm the BJP and make it difficult to run the government and consolidate its position in the state.

The BJP has kept the Shiv Sena guessing. With Diwali celebrations round the corner, the party has deferred till next week the meeting of its new legislators to elect the leader of the legislative party.

BJP observers — Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and General Secretary J P Nadda — confirmed that they would visit Mumbai next week and the process for government formation will begin.

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP has won 123 seats, 22 short of a majority. The Shiv Sena, which has emerged as the second largest party, bagged 63 seats, Congress 42, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena 1 and 18 are independents.

NCP, with 41 seats, has already decided to extend outside support to the BJP. Eleven independent legislators have also offered to support the BJP.

State BJP spokesperson Kanta Nalawade told the Business Standard: “'Shiv Sena leaders hurled abuses and used derogatory language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party President Amit Shah and the party in general. Shiv Sena also dubbed the BJP as its number one enemy. Instead of attacking the Congress and the NCP, which ruled the state for 15 years, Shiv Sena led a scathing attack against the BJP. We are deeply hurt with such criticism.”

She made it clear the BJP was in a position to prove a majority and provide a transparent and progressive government. Therefore , it will not go with any offer on its own to the Shiv Sena.

The former ally of the BJP, too, has not made any effort at a reconciliation. Shiv Sena MP and chief Uddhav Thackeray’s confidant Anil Desai said his party has not given any formula to the BJP for formation of the government.

The Shiv Sena and the BJP had ruled the state from 1995 to 1999, when its chief minister led the government while the BJP leaders were placed in important posts and had portfolios like deputy chief minister, home, finance, and energy.

“Our party has not given any formula, like the one implemented in 1995. Instead, the party is waiting for BJP’s offer,” Desai said.

Chorus for Gadkari as CM

Maharashtra BJP leaders have demanded that the former party national president Nitin Gadkari be appointed the chief minister of the state, especially since the party has not got a simple majority.

Former BJP state unit chief Sudhir Mungantiwar has said Gadkari is a favourite candidate to become the chief minister.

Party leaders believe that Gadkari, who is reportedly reluctant to come to Maharashtra leaving the Union ministry, will be in a better position to run the government without the Shiv Sena but with outside support of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and independents. Gadkari enjoys cordial relations with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who had defended Gadkari when he was targeted after the income tax raids on Purti Group of Companies.     

As the public works minister from 1995 to 1999, Gadkari successfully implemented projects on a fast-track mode.

Leaders admit that BJP state unit chief Devendra Fadnavis, who got a pat from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for exposing a number of corruption cases during the Congress-NCP regime, is young and dynamic. However, he lacks administrative experience and may face roadblocks in running the government, as the BJP does not have a clean majority.

“It is up to Modi and the central leadership to take a final call,” a senior party leader told Business Standard.