Why Shiv Sena may drag feet on govt formation in Maharashtra

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fears that Shiv Sena may delay government formation in Maharashtra for some more time before it finally extracts its pound of flesh in negotiations for distribution of portfolios, a BJP leader in the know of the development said.

The result for the assembly elections were out on October 24 but the two parties have failed to close the negotiations and continue to flex muscles for the chief minister’s post.

BJP and Shiv Sena are pre-poll partners, but both have staked claimed to the top chair. The Sena contested elections on 124 seats of the 288-member Maharashtra assembly and won 56 while the BJP contested 164 seats and won 105.

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“Shiv Sena will eventually give in and agree to be a part of a BJP-led government,” said a senior BJP leader who didn’t want to be named. “Sena will ask for some portfolios that are currently with BJP. We may have to let go of some of them.”

Departments such as home, finance, urban development, revenue, rural development and others are currently with CM Devendra Fadnavis or other BJP leaders. Shiv Sena has portfolios such as transport, industries, environment.

Only 6 of the 25 cabinet berths and 7 out of 18 minister of state portfolios are with the Sena.

Fadnavis and Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote held separate meetings with Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday, setting off speculation that the relations between the two allies might worsen over a “50-50” power-sharing formula.

Sena wants CMs from both sides with each having a two-and-half-year tenure. Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray also said a 50-50 formula was agreed upon with BJP president Amit Shah and Fadnavis ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Senior BJP leaders have said the party will not withdraw its claim on the CM’s chair or agree to a rotation of the top job as demanded by Sena.