The BJP and Shiv Sena are working out a middle path formula for the government formation in Maharashtra with the former and its allies holding 26 portfolios including Chief Minister position, while Shiv Sena is set to get Deputy Chief Minister’s seat along with 12 ministers for five years.

Power-sharing math

Currently, the Fadnavis government has 43 ministers, out of which 14 are from the Shiv Sena.

BJP sources said that after the talks reached a deadlock on Tuesday with the Sena insisting on 50:50 formula, whereby a Shiv Sena’s MLA will be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for two and half years, the new formula based on the number of elected MLAs was suggested to Shiv Sena leadership.

On Thursday afternoon, Shiv Sena leaders will hold a closed-door consultation with their MLAs for further action.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told media persons on Wednesday that the Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena and its allies) will certainly form the government. There was no question of any kind of alliance that the BJP will enter with the Congress or NCP, as it would amount to a breach of people’s trust.

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also re-elected as the leader of the Maharashtra BJP legislature party. All the 105 elected BJP MLAs were present in full force at the Maharashtra Legislature.

After his re-election, Fadnavis said that the people had given their votes to Mahayuti so there should be no doubt in the government formation. The BJP emerging as the single largest party in 2019 election is a big victory for the party, as it has won more than 100 seats in two consecutive elections (2015 and 2019), he said.

Fadnavis said that in the last five years the government tried to fulfil the hopes and expectations of every section of the society. When a government is elected for the second time, the responsibility increases.

The new government will help the farmers who have suffered a lot due to untimely rains. In the next five years the government will also strive to save the water and send it to the drought-affected areas of the State, he said.

Softening stand

Shiv Sena’s MP and party’s chief strategist, Sanjay Raut told media persons that he welcomed the re-election of Fadnavis as the leader of the Maharashtra BJP legislature party.

When questioned by the media about the portfolio and seat-sharing formula, Raut’s reply was evasive. He said that it is important for the party to stay in the BJP-led alliance due to the larger interest of Maharashtra. But the party will not compromise on its self-respect.

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