BJP workers, leaders angry with Shiv Sena, ready to fight elections again: BJP minister

Launching an attack on Shiv Sena, BJP minister Jay Kumar Rawal on Sunday said that BJP workers and leaders in Dhule are angry at the behaviour of Shiv Sena and that they are ready to fight elections again.

Speaking to media persons, Rawal said, "The BJP workers are angry that first, they (Shiv Sena) fought in Mahayuti and then later changed their position and now have started blackmailing us. If this is the case, then we are ready to fight elections again. The public is with the work of Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, and Devendra Fadnavis."

The BJP minister was speaking to media persons in Dhule after attending a party review meeting.

"Today, BJP leaders and workers in Dhule expressed their anger to me. They said that they did not get a chance due to Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena alliance) and said that if given a chance again, they are ready to fight again," Rawal said.

"We feel that we can win all five seats here. The workers feel angry and this is the same sentiment throughout Maharashtra," he added.

The statement of the BJP leader comes at a time when the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena are engaged in a bitter tug-of-war over the equal distribution of Cabinet portfolios and the term of chief minister's post for 2.5 years each.

While the BJP is firm on their stand that Devendra Fadnavis will become the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena is seeking an equal term for the chief minister's post.

The current term of Maharashtra government ends on November 8. State Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had earlier said the state might head for the president's rule if the government is not formed before November 7.

The BJP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 105 seats in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly polls while the Shiv Sena got 56 seats in the 288-member state Assembly.