Shiv Sena Demands Assurance From BJP On Rotational CM, Congress Offers Lucrative Option

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday held a meeting with newly-elected party MLAs amid demands by the party MLAs to elect Aaditya Thackeray as the Chief Minister in the next government.

Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik said that in the meeting, it was reasserted that BJP should keep its promise of equal sharing of power.

He said both the alliance partners should get a chance to run the government for half term and a rotational CM. Sarnaik said that BJP should give this assurance to the Shiv Sena in writing.

As the standoff between Shiv Sena and the BJP continues, Congress is trying to turn the odds in its favour.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Saturday said it is up to Shiv Sena to decide if they want a full-term CM or wait for BJP's response on equal sharing of power and a rotational CM.

"If Sena's proposal comes to us, we will discuss it with the high command," ANI news agency quoted Wadettiwar as saying.

Soon after the poll results were declared on Thursday, Thackeray renewed the assertion for equal sharing of power with the BJP, which failed to register desired performance in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

Uddhav raised questions over whether the BJP or his party will get the chief minister's seat in the state.

"The important question is who will be the chief minister?" he said during a press conference held after the poll verdict.

The dip in BJP's seat share has increased the bargaining power of the Shiv Sena whose tally too came down to 56 seats from the 63 in 2014. Saturday's meeting holds significance because the party will hold discussions on equal sharing of power and the demand for electing Aaditya as the next chief minister.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have repeatedly said that Fadnavis will continue to be at the helm, the poll results have not left the BJP in a position to bargain, rather emboldened Shiv Sena to call the shots.

"We want to see Aaditya Thackeray as the next chief minister. But Uddhavji will take the final decision," said Sarnaik, MLA from neighbouring Thane city, earlier on Saturday.

He was responding to a question on whether Sena will seek the help of the Congress-NCP combine to install its own chief minister in place of incumbent Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP.

Another MLA Abdul Sattar, who defected to the Sena from the Congress ahead of polls, also endorsed Sarnaik's view.

"Uddhavji will take the final call on this," said Sattar, once considered a close aide of former chief minister Ashok Chavan.

Aaditya, 29, became the first Thackeray since the party was founded in 1960s to enter the poll fray and win. He won from Worli seat in Mumbai.

On Thursday, Thackeray said that he wanted to see his party grow, hinting towards equal sharing of power and a CM from his own party.

"I contested less number of seats for Lok Sabha and assembly elections. I can't accommodate the BJP everytime. I want to remind the BJP the formula which was worked out in the presence of Amit Shah," Thackeray said.

According to sources, Thackeray wants a rotational chief ministership between the Sena and the BJP and the equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

The speculation about an "interesting possibility" started doing rounds on the day of the poll verdict when former chief ministers Ashok Chavan and Prithivraj Chavan of the Congress said the party should consider all options to keep the BJP out of power.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar had ruled out such a possibility to back the Sena. Thackeray had said the popular mandate to rule was given to the BJP and his party.

State Congress president Balasaheb Thorat too ruled out any truck with the Sena to keep the BJP at bay. However, he cryptically said that if the Sena comes with a proposal, the Congress will seek advice of its high-command.

On Friday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut posted a cartoon to take a dig at the BJP.

The cartoon, posted by Raut on his verified Twitter account, shows a tiger (Shiv Sena emblem) wearing a clock locket (NCP's poll symbol) sniffing a lotus (BJP's poll symbol).

In its mouthpiece, Saamna, Shiv Sena also took a dig at the BJP, saying Maharashtra does not accept power of arrogance.

(With Agency Inputs)