BJP takes step towards Shiv Sena, says doors open to talk

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got into damage-control mode on Tuesday, amid speculation that its ally, Shiv Sena, could stake claim to form the next government in

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got into damage-control mode on Tuesday, amid speculation that its ally, Shiv Sena, could stake claim to form the next government in Maharashtra with support from the Opposition, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress.

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BJP, which is the single largest party with 105 seats, requested Sena renew their power-sharing discussions, but also said it had not yet received any formal proposal from the latter. The party, however, said it was confident that a saffron alliance led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis would soon form the government.

Meanwhile, in what could be a positive development for BJP, a senior Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, said party president Sonia Gandhi during her meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday disapproved the idea of supporting a Sena-led government.

BJP, however, which has been in a bind over Sena’s non-cooperation and silence over the matter since Diwali, indicated that the offer to hold talks did not mean the CM’s post was up for grabs. “We held a meeting of BJP’s state core committee led by Fadnavis. We have assessed the political scenario in the state. We believe this mandate was for the saffron alliance and respecting the people’s wishes, we will form the government together. We have so far not got any proposal from the Sena and our doors are open 24x7 to consider their proposal and hold discussions,” said Chandrakant Patil, revenue minister and BJP state chief.

Patil, however, clarified that the Mahayuti (a grand alliance of BJP, Sena and other smaller parties) “will be formed under the leadership of Fadnavis”. “BJP’s parliamentary panel elected him as our leader unanimously. We back him completely,” he said.

But Sena did not share BJP’s confidence. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray, who is still touring the state, did not comment on the issue. Sena MP and Saamana editor, Sanjay Raut, who is speaking on behalf of the party, said his party’s proposal was the same —50:50 power-sharing formula, including splitting the CM’s post and tenure — that was decided ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

“How can they say that there was no proposal from Sena? Whatever was decided before the Lok Sabha elections is the proposal. Act on that, this is the one-line proposal. We do not think there is any need for a separate proposal. We are firm on our stance that [they should] do as per what was decided,” Raut said. He also demanded that BJP leadership should give them a written assurance on rotational chief ministership in the state. He also said that BJP has shown “understanding” if they were willing to discuss rotational CM.

Amid the standoff, Fadnavis travelled to Nagpur on Tuesday night to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

A senior RSS swyamsevak, who did not wish to be named, said Fadnavis met Bhagwat and RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi for more than 45 minutes.

He added that Bhagwat advised Fadnavis to keep the saffron flock together for formation of the government.

During the discussion, Bhagwat reportedly told Fadnavis the party should take senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari into confidence and involve him to negotiate with Sena leaders.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders, on condition of anonymity, said the party is also mulling of sending a senior Central leader to meet Thackeray at Matoshree on Wednesday. While BJP president and Union home minister Amit Shah has stayed away from the talks, Union minister Nitin Gadkari may be asked to mediate.

The leaders said the party, as part of its revised power-sharing formula, was willing to split all ministerial berths 50:50, barring the CM’s post, with the Sena. Keeping aside the four berths kept for smaller parties, this could give Sena 19 ministries, six more than what they have in the outgoing cabinet. BJP, the leaders said, is also willing to concede important portfolios — except home — like public works department, agriculture, revenue or finance to its ally.

State finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, meanwhile, said: “There are no buts and ifs. Our saffron alliance government is coming to power. You will hear of good news any time now.’’

The stalemate began after Fadnavis’s statement to the media on Diwali last Tuesday that sharing the CM’s post was never offered to the Sena had irked Thackeray. The Sena chief in response had cancelled the joint meeting of the allies and had not responded to the CM since then.

When asked specifically about the BJP’s willingness to share the CM’s post, party leaders indicated that it was not willing to relinquish the top post.

“Fadnavis will be our CM for the entire five-year tenure. We have won 105 seats, nearly double than the Sena. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk. We are willing to discuss their grouses over what CM said or what was agreed and our differences, among others. Sena should respect the clear mandate of the people for our alliance and talk to us,’’ said senior BJP leader and core committee member Girish Mahajan, seen to be close to Fadnavis.

Senior party leaders, however, admitted that things would get difficult if Sena did not come around in the next two days. “Next two days will be crucial for us. If Sena does not talk to us, we will be forced to stake claim by ourselves and bid time again to get them around. However, a truce is most likely on cards.’’

Thackeray, during his tour, paid respects to late BJP leader Gopinath Munde’s memorial built by his daughter and BJP minister Pankaja Munde in Beed. Many within the BJP are reading this as an indication of Thackeray’s willingness to compromise.

According to sources, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, reportedly agreed to support a three-party government only if Pawar agreed to become CM of Maharashtra.

Pawar, however, ruled out any possibility of him becoming the CM.

“Besides the risk of inviting the wrath of Muslims and Dalits on joining hands with the Sena, the Congress was unlikely to get key portfolios, being the third wheel in the alliance government. In case of outside support to the Sena-NCP government, the Congress will neither be in the position of being part of the government nor be in the opposition to target it,’’ he said.

While NCP tried to pressurise the BJP by saying that it would have no choice but to step in and look at options to form government if the saffron allies did not get its act together, there seems to be a rough consensus that it would be best to sit in the opposition.