BJP says next Maha govt will be under its leadership

Tension brewing within the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance over seat-sharing for upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls escalated on Sunday with BJP disapproving Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s statement that in the event of a saffron victory, the top post would go to his party and that he was not averse to assuming it.

BJP, an all-weather ally of Shiv Sena, is rankled by Uddhav’s public statement on Saturday that the chief minister of Maharashtra will be from Shiv Sena only if the saffron alliance is voted to power after 15 October elections.

‘It is for the people to decide if they trust me. They will decide whom they want as the face (chief minister). I am not hankering after any post but will not shy away from responsibility either..But the face will be from Shiv Sena only,’ Uddhav had said.

Adding to unease in BJP, Sena had rubbed in with an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ using a risque metaphor to attack BJP, which has become more assertive over number of seats to contest in Assembly elections after its massive victory in Lok Sabha elections.

‘Excessive lust leads to divorce. Allies in the coalition must dream of a victory. For this, all parties must give up the lust for more seats. To say we will stay in the coalition only if we get ‘so many seats’ is not right,’ Saamana had said.

Reiterating Uddhav’s statement, the party MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the next chief minister will be from Shiv Sena only.

‘In two to three days, it will be clear to everyone that the Shiv Sena and BJP alliance, that has been going strong from the last many years is going to be strong this time as well..Who will be the CM of the state will be decided by Shiv Sena. The next CM will be from the Shiv Sena only,’ Raut said in Mumbai.

Miffed with Sena’s aggressive stand on the issue, BJP on Sunday launched a counter attack saying that in the event of a victory in the assembly elections, the next government will be led by BJP.

‘Sanjay Raut is not a top leader of Sena. Talks are going on between the top leadership of the two parties. However, they (talks) have now hit a speed breaker,’ party spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said.

‘The next government in Maharashtra will be formed under the leadership of the BJP. Our national president (Amit Shah) had made this very clear while on his trip to Mumbai. And his decision is final,’ Bhandari added.