Sena sticks to pitch on power-sharing

Uddhav Thackeray renews party’s demand for equal sharing of posts and responsibilities as Sena cosies up to NCP

MUMBAI:THE Shiv Sena on Thursday upped the ante over its power-sharing deal with saffron ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the Maharashtra government. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray renewed the party’s demand for equal sharing of posts and responsibilities, including chief ministership.

Thackeray also expressed displeasure over CM Devendra Fadnavis’s earlier statement that the BJP never conceded equal sharing of the CM’S post with its ally. Earlier, the BJP made it clear that the CM’S post will not be shared with the Sena as part of the deal.

Despite the public posturing by the Sena and the BJP – both showcased the support of independent legislators – there are indications that the new saffron government in Maharashtra will be sworn in early next week.

It is learnt that the Sena is driving a bargain to get at least one of the four key portfolios — home, finance, urban development department and revenue — so far refused by the BJP.

Meanwhile, Sena leaders also got in touch with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to look at possibilities of an alternative arrangement if the BJP was not conceding to Sena’s demands.

A BJP leader, however, dismissed the Sena move as pressure tactic. The BJP, it is learnt, had offered 16 ministerial berths to the Sena, including two of these four key departments —agriculture, irrigation, public works department and housing.

In the outgoing cabinet, Sena currently has 13 ministers, the BJP has 27 ministers and the smaller allies have three ministers. The BJP is also willing to offer the deputy chief minister’s post, but the Sena leadership is yet to decide on the same. Party insiders say Thackeray is not keen to let son Aaditya join the government immediately after getting elected as a legislator. As such, he would prefer to accept the deputy CM’S post for Aaditya, only when the latter is inducted into the Fadnavis ministry. The Sena’s top brass is still deliberating on this subject.

While addressing the party’s newly elected MLAS at the Sena headquartersinmumbai,thackeray said that BJP should admit that there was a power-sharing formula decided before the Lok Sabha polls and keep their word.“uddhavji said no one can keep the CM post for eternity and felt that the statement made by the CM was uncalled for, even in an informal conversation with the media. It essentially makes the party chief look power hungry, which is not the case,” said a party functionary, who was present in the meeting. He added that the talks can only proceed after the BJP admits that there was a 50:50 formula.

“This will get sorted out in two to three days. We are open for negotiations on everything other than CM’S post. The CM has indicated that we are willing to give up the DCM post. Our deal was nearly fixed and we were to hold a meeting today. So, this is a minor hiccup,’’ said a senior BJP leader and minister. He added that the new government could get sworn in by early next week.

“The new government should get sworn in by next week, if not on Sunday. Both Thackeray as well as CM have to take certain public positions, keeping their party in mind and to drive a tough bargain. This is just that. In any case, in this post-poll scenario, neither Sena nor we have any other option,’’ said another BJP leader, seen to be close to Fadnavis.

IT IS LEARNT THAT THE SENA IS DRIVING A BARGAIN TO GET AT LEAST ONE OF THE 4 KEY PORTFOLIOS — FINANCE, URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HOME AND REVENUE — SO FAR REFUSED BY BJP