Sena seeks written assurance from BJP over power-sharing

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday demanded a written assurance from its ally BJP for implementing "equal formula for sharing of power" before holding talks on staking the claim to form the next alliance government in Maharashtra, a party MLA said.

Newly-elected MLAs of the Sena, who met Thackeray at his residence in Mumbai, demanded that his son Aaditya Thackeray be made the chief minister in the next government.

Thackeray also said he had "other options open" but is not interested in exploring them since the BJP and the Sena are bound by the "Hindutva ideology", the MLA said.

The MLAs have authorised the Sena chief to take all decisions regarding the formation of the next government, he said.

According to political observers, the subdued performance of the BJP has increased the bargaining power of the Sena whose tally too came down to 56 seats from 63 in 2014.

The MLA further said that the leader of the Sena legislature party will be selected after new MLAs take the oath. Meanwhile, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Raosaheb Danve told reporters that his party was not aware of any equal power-sharing deal being proposed by the Sena.