Shiv Sena should accept Dy CM post for Aditya Thackeray for 5 years: Ramdas Athawale

Union Minister and Revolutionary Party of India (RPI) leader Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said the Shiv Sena should accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister for Aditya Thackeray for five years.

"I don't think the BJP will agree for rotational Chief Minister, but the position of Deputy Chief Minister can be given to Shiv Sena for 5 years. I think Shiv Sena should accept the Deputy Chief Minister's position for Aditya Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis should be Chief Minister," Athawale told ANI.

"My formula is that BJP and Shiv Sena should come together as the mandate of the people is with them. Surely, the NDA did not get that many seats as expected but there is a majority nevertheless," he said.

"The claim on the chief ministerial post is certainly of the BJP. Shiv Sena says that only 124 seats were given to them. They could also be given ministerial post at the Centre," added Athawale.

Athawale said that he would talk to both the parties and ask them to resolve the issue through talks. "I hope a decision will be made in the next four-five days," he said.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance has an absolute majority in Maharashtra assembly. BJP has 105 MLAs. Shiv Sena has 56 MLAs.