Mumbai, November 6: As the deadline for government formation in Maharashtra is fast approaching, Shiv-Sena is not ready to settle for any anything less than equal share of power as Sanjay Raut on Wednesday outrightly denied the possibility of reaching any new settlement with BJP except the one (50:50) that was allegedly agreed upon prior to polls. Maharashtra Government Formation: Shiv Sena Adamant on CM Post; No New Proposal Will Be Sent to BJP, Says Sanjay Raut.
"There was only one line agreement between both the parties before the polls. The thing that was agreed upon when the coalition was discussed is the only proposal. Why waste time in giving and taking any new proposal," said Sanjay Raut here in Mumbai on Wednesday. "We agreed upon the post of Chief Minister. On how many times we have to again agree upon. The one that was agreed upon was agreed upon," he said.
Further, he said that if President Rule is imposed in the State in the event of no government being formed in the state then that would be an insult to the mandate. "If conspiracy is being hatched without any reason to impose President rule in Maharashtra then Shiv Sena is not responsible for it. It will be the biggest insult of the mandate," said Raut. From BJP-Led Minority Government to Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress Alliance, List of Likely Political Scenarios in Maharashtra.
BJP and Shiv Sena are engaged in a bitter tug-of-war with the latter refusing to soften stand on its demands for equal sharing of Cabinet portfolios and the chief minster's tenure of 2.5 years. The BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 105 seats while Shiv Sena got 56 in the 288-member state assembly. The results of assembly polls were announced on October 24.