BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance Hits a Roadblock, Differences Emerge on Sharing Maharashtra CM Post
While a BJP minister said the chief ministerial post would go to the party that wins more seats, a Shiv Sena minister ruled out the formula.
Mumbai, February 20: Two days after the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena announced to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections together, differences emerged within the alliance on sharing the chief minister's post in Maharashtra. While a BJP minister said the chief ministerial post would go to the party that wins more seats, a Shiv Sena minister ruled out the formula and said the top post would be shared for 2.5 years each between the two allies.
BJP minister Chandrakant Patil said his party is of the view that the alliance partner winning more seats (after this year’s assembly poll) would get the CM’s post. However, Shiv Sena minister Ramdas Kadam said his party forged the alliance with the BJP after there was an agreement to share the chief minister’s post. If the BJP does not wish to fulfil its commitment, it is free to break the pre-poll alliance immediately, he said. Corrupt and Helpless United for Unholy Alliance, Says Ashok Chavan on BJP-Shiv Sena Alliance.
Kadam said as per the alliance agreement, all Constitutional posts will be equally shared by Sena and BJP. "This means the CM’s post will also be equally shared. If this formula isn’t acceptable to BJP leaders, we will ask Thackeray to call off the alliance. We are capable of contesting polls alone," he added.
On Tuesday, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray told party workers at his residence that he had rejected the formula proposing that the party winning maximum number of seats in assembly elections would get the post of chief minister. "This formula was used by both parties (Sena and BJP) in the last 25 years. I have rejected it. What I have demanded is that both the parties get to share all posts equally," Thackeray said.
As per the tie-up announced Monday, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Sena 23 of total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. For the assembly polls, the two parties will contest an equal number of seats after accommodating allies. The BJP and the Sena had contested the 2014 assembly elections separately. Of total 288 seats, the BJP had won 122 seats and the Sena 63. (With PTI inputs)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2019 07:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).