Make public whatever was 'decided' between BJP-Sena: Khadse

Former Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse on Thursday said whatever had been "decided" between the BJP and the Shiv Sena ahead of the assembly polls should be made public.

The Shiv Sena has claimed top leaders of the party and the BJP had "agreed" on sharing the chief minister's post on a rotational basis and 50:50 distribution of portfolio ahead of the October 21 assembly polls in the state.

The BJP has, however, denied any such arrangement with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and has insisted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will continue to hold the post for full term.

Khadse, speaking to reporters in Jalgaon, his home district in North Maharashtra, said whatever had been "decided" between the saffron allies in the past should be made public for better understanding of the power-sharing issue.

The BJP denied assembly election ticket to Khadse and instead fielded his daughter from their family seat of Muktainagar in Jalgaon district, but she lost to Shiv Sena rebel Chandrakant Patil.

"Sena leaders have been saying something was promised to them ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In that case, whatever was decided should be brought to forefront and discussed," said Khadse, whose critical remarks have put the BJP on back foot on several occasions in the recent past.

Asked about the tussle between the saffron allies and delay in government formation even two weeks after poll results, the veteran politician said, I am no longer senior enough to mediate between the BJP and the Sena."