Maha saffron tiff deepens uncertainty

The 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections saw a pre-poll alliance, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, win the most seats — 161 — since 1995. But 15 days

The 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections saw a pre-poll alliance, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, win the most seats — 161 — since 1995. But 15 days after the results were announced and 48 hours before the 288-member Assembly’s tenure ends at midnight on Saturday, a question mark still looms over the formation of the next government in the state.

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The saffron allies, locked in a protracted battle of political nerves, have so far failed to reach a compromise, with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray unwilling to climb down from his demand to share the chief minister’s post for two-and-a-half years (half the tenure). BJP is not keen on conceding the CM’s post and have said they are willing to hold talks only on equal sharing of ministerial berths.

While BJP is the single-largest party with 105 seats, Sena has won 56 seats.

Thackeray, who met his party legislators on Thursday, told them that he will not discuss anything less than the top post in the state with its ally. “Uddhavji said that he has no intention of breaking the alliance. But he said BJP should keep its word given to Sena before the Lok Sabha polls and share the CM post,” said a party MLA, who attended the meeting.

Thackeray, according to the MLA, said discussions can happen only if they [BJP] agree to what was decided before the Lok Sabha polls, which happened in May. “They [BJP] can call him up if they decide to give us the CM post for two-and-a-half years, otherwise they should not, Uddhavji said in the meeting,” he said.

Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut reiterated this stance at a press conference later on Thursday. “At the MLAs’ meeting, Thackeray said a discussion will begin if BJP leaders agree to a 50:50 formula [ministerial berths], including sharing the CM post, as decided during the Lok Sabha elections,” said Raut.

BJP leaders, however, are hoping that Sena blinks first.

“The CM’s post is always decided by numbers. We have almost 50 seats more than them, how can we give the CM post up? Our party leadership in Delhi is totally against this. We are willing to offer the deputy chief minister’s (DCM) post as well as equal sharing of ministerial berths,’’ said a senior BJP leader, on condition of anonymity.

According to BJP insiders, the party’s top brass in Delhi may make a phone call to Thackeray over the next couple of days, in a bid to pacify the Sena.

Meanwhile, a BJP delegation met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday to discuss the legal options before the party, given the delay in staking claim to form the government.

“BJP will not form a minority government in Maharashtra. No one is going to break the Shiv Sena. We have not taken any step towards any other party. Our every effort has been to ensure that the government is formed with Sena, as the mandate is for us together,” said finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, in a press conference before the delegation met Koshyari.

The party’s rebuttal over MLAs breaking away was a response to Sena mouthpiece, Saamana, which in its editorial accused BJP of using its money power to poach newly elected MLAs.

If BJP stakes claim to form government on its own, it will need the support of 25 more legislators. Currently, the party has 105 MLAs and the support of another 15 independent MLAs. Getting another 25 legislators will not be easy, especially as all the remaining three parties have already announced that they will together ensure the electoral defeat of any MLA who defects to BJP now.

BJP leaders, however, claimed they were not looking at bolstering their numbers and were resigned to a President’s rule as Sena was refusing to co-operate.

A senior Sena leader, who is privy to the details, said the alliance will snap if the BJP goes ahead and stakes claim to form a minority government.

The leader said, “We will defeat the speaker candidate of the BJP, then automatically they are defeated in proving their majority on the floor of the House. Floor test will just be a formality.”

At the same, the Sena leader said a consensus candidate of Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress party for the speaker’s post would be put up. “We [Sena and Congress-NCP] will discuss the scenario after they [BJP] stake claim. We will put up a candidate agreeable to all three parties,” the Sena leader said.

Raut, however, claimed that Thackeray will not commit the ”sin” of breaking the alliance.

“On October 24 (day of the results), Uddhavji said he will not commit the sin of breaking the alliance. He said though there is an alternative available, I will not go for it…From that day till today, his stance remains the same,’’ said Raut.

So far, Sena has not yet indicated what it plans to do if BJP refuses to stake claim on its own as the single largest party.

Meanwhile, the Sena chief has directed party MLAs to stay in Mumbai. The legislators are put up at Hotel Rangsharda in Bandra (West), which is about 2.5km from Matoshree — the Thackeray residence in Bandra (East).

Raut refuted rumours that the legislators are kept under one roof to prevent defections. “No one can dare touch our MLAs. There is no such threat... You’ve to understand that MLAs come from far-off locations. They are yet to get official accommodations. In the scenario, it is the party’s responsibility to arrange it,” Raut said.

The legislators, according to party insiders, are kept at the budget hotel to not get flak for splurging on a five-star hotel at a time when farmers are facing severe distress owing to unseasonal rainfall.