Will not form govt in Maharashtra, Sena disrespected people's mandate: BJP

"Good luck to the Shiv Sena if it wants to form government in Maharashtra with the support of the Congress and NCP."

The BJP on Sunday announced that it would not form government in Maharashtra in view of the ally Shiv Sena's stand to not join them in the efforts.

Announcing the BJP's decision, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which is adamant on its demand for a rotational chief ministership, of "disrespecting" the popular mandate secured by the BJP and the Sena in recent assembly polls.

"The mandate of the people of Maharashtra was for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. Sena has, however, disrespected the mandate, hence we have decided to not stake claim to form government. We have informed our decision to governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari," Patil told reporters outside Raj Bhavan.

He wished "good luck" to the Sena if it wanted to form the government with the help of opposition Congress and NCP. The BJP and the Sena had together won 161 seats in the 288-member House, way above the halfway mark of 145.

'Sena will have its CM at any cost' 

Reacting to the BJP's announcement that it would not form government in Maharashtra, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the party would install its chief minister at any cost. "Maharashtra will have Sena's chief minister at any cost. Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday informed the party MLAs that Sena will have its chief minister," Raut told reporters. The BJP on Sunday announced that it would not form government in Maharashtra in view of the ally Shiv Sena's stand to not join them in the efforts. "How will BJP have its chief minister when they are not staking a claim to form government," Raut said.

Congress doesn't want President's rule

The Congress in Maharashtra on Sunday said it didn't want President's Rule in the state which is in the midst of a political crisis in view of the BJP's announcement that it would not form government. Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said newly-elected MLAs of the party will seek advice from the party high-command over its future political stand in the state. "We are in Jaipur. We will discuss the issue here and will seek advice for the future political stand. The party doesn't want president's rule in the state," he told reporters. Chavan said he was in favour of forming a stable government in Maharashtra.