BJP warns Sena of prez rule in Maharashtra

People have given the mandate... on basis of 50-50 formula that was reached. They want chief minister from Shiv Sena. There will be a Shiv Sena chief minister

SANJAY RAUT, Shiv Sena leader

MUMBAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) warned on Friday that Maharashtra may head for President’s rule if a new government isn’t in place by November 7 — the deadline for formation of the new government is November 8 — even as its pre-poll ally, the Shiv Sena, said it would be able to muster the numbers for an alternative coalition to rule the state if its demand that the two partners split all positions, including the chief minister’s, equally isn’t met.

The BJP and its oldest ally seemed to harden their positions on Friday, eight days after the results were declared.

“A new government will have to be in place within the stipulated time, or else the President will have to intervene. President’s rule will be imposed,” BJP leader and finance minister in the outgoing government Sudhir Mungantiwar said.

The BJP has insisted that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will head the government for a second term, denying the

Sena’s claim that it agreed, in talks before the April-may general elections, to sharing the post between the two allies during the five-year term, with each party holding the post for twoand-half years. The Shiv Sena is adamant about sharing not just this post but also other cabinet posts and responsibilities as part of what it terms a “50-50 formula”. “If the Shiv Sena decides, it’ll get the required numbers to form a stable government in the state,” senior party leader Sanjay Raut told reporters on Friday. Raut dared the BJP to go ahead and form a government if it had the numbers. “The mandate was for the alliance; why didn’t they come forward to discuss [government formation] on the day results were announced?” he asked.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 288-member assembly with 105 seats. The Sena won 56 seats, the Nationalist Congress Party, 54, and the Congress, 44. A party needs 145 MLAS to achieve a simple majority in the assembly.

Raut’s remarks seemed to hint at the possibility of the Sena forming government with the backing of the Congress and the NCP.