Shiv Sena’s lone minister resigns from Modi cabinet

Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena’s lone minister in the Narendra Modi-cabinet, resigned on Monday as part of the Sena’s government formation efforts with the Nationalist

Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena’s lone minister in the Narendra Modi-cabinet, resigned on Monday as part of the Sena’s government formation efforts with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress. Sawant’s resignation was viewed as the first step towards the formal end of the alliance between the Sena and BJP.

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Sawant, who held the heavy industries and public enterprises portfolio, took on the BJP and said it would be not be “morally right” to be part of the BJP-led government after they denied any power-sharing formula existed between the two parties in Maharashtra.

“The Assembly elections in Maharashtra were held on the basis of an alliance with the BJP. Prior to the polls, the two parties had agreed to a 50:50 formula for the post of chief minister. However, the BJP has refused the honour the promise of equal power-sharing deal, including the CM’s post. They also attempted to portray that the Sena chief was lying. As there is no trust left, it would not be proper to continue as minister,” said Sawant.

On being asked that with the Shiv Sena’s exit from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government the alliance between the saffron parties has ended, the MP from South Mumbai said, “I have resigned, now you can deduce whatever meaning you please.”