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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday extended an olive branch to Bharatiya Janata Party by saying his party had no problem in striking a deal with BJP for the formation of government in Maharashtra.
Uddhav's close confidante Anil Desai also announced that talks between Shiv Sena and BJP will begin from Monday (October 27) to work out modalities for the formation of government in the state. Desai hoped that BJP with 123 seats and Shiv Sena with 63 seats will jointly be able to provide a stable government in the state.
Shiv Sena's former ally Republican Party of India (RPI), which fought the just concluded assembly poll with BJP, also today said Shiv Sena is BJP's natural ally and it cannot be possible for BJP to form the government without having Shiv Sena on board. RPI chief Ramdas Athavale today met Uddhav and discussed the issue of an alliance between BJP and Shiv Sena to form the government. Athavale revealed that Uddhav has shown his desire to start talks with BJP without any hurdles.
BJP with 123 legislators has already got support from 11 independents while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has extended support from outside.
However, there has not been any formal reaction from BJP whether it was prepared to revive its alliance with Shiv Sena or initiate talks for the government formation. BJP has still kept its former ally guessing. Leader of opposition in the state council Vinod Tawde, who was elected from Borivli seat in north Mumbai, on Thursday had clarified that talks cannot be possible if Shiv Sena puts forward a slew of conditions.
A BJP leader who did not want to be identified told Business Standard: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah will decide whether or not to take Shiv Sena's help to form the government. Shiv Sena leaders Subhash Desai and Anil Desai have three days ago met petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP legislator Chandrakant Patil in New Delhi. However, no talks took place at the level of Amit Shah or any other central leaders, neither the party has received from Shiv Sena any concrete proposal on its unconditional support to form the government.''
Another BJP leader said the Sena must realise they are not in a position to bargain for important posts like Deputy Chief Minister.
BJP is expected to hold its meeting of newly elected legislators on October 27 in the presence of central observers including union home minister Rajnath Singh and party general secretary JP Nadda. Legislators are likely to elect Devendra Fadnavis as party's leader in the state assembly and the swearing in ceremony is expected to take place on October 28 or 29. The oath taking ceremony is likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and host of BJP leaders and the party chief ministers.
Moreover, BJP seems to have resolved row over the chief minister's post between the union minister Nitin Gadkari and state unit chief Devendra Fadnavis. Clearing the way for Fadnavis, Gadkari on Thursday asserted that he is not in the race for chief minister and does not want to return to state politics.
Three sites have been shortlisted for the swearing in ceremony: Wankhede Stadium, Bandra Kurla Complex ground and the premises of Vidhan Bhavan (state legislature). Senior party leaders including BJP vice president Vinay Sahastrabudhe, union ministers Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal and Tawde had separately met the Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagan Rao during week and briefed him about the possible schedule for swearing in ceremony and the shortlisted venues for the same.
Uddhav to attend PM's dinner on October 26
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will attend the dinner organised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for BJP allies in NDA on October 26 in New Delhi. If Uddhav attends the dinner, it can be seen as confirmation that the BJP and the Sena are getting back together to take power in Maharashtra. It may be recalled that BJP ended its 25-year partnership with Sena on September 25 due to lack of agreement over seat sharing for the assembly poll. Shiv Sena's 18 MPs in the Lok Sabha and three in Rajya Sabha will also be present at PM's dinner.
