Not Sharad Pawar, next Maharashtra CM will be from Shiv Sena: Sanjay Raut

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Amid the deadlock over government formation in Maharashtra, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday reiterated that the state’s next chief minister would be from his party. Raut also said Sharad Pawar won't be next CM of Maharashtra, amid reports of the Shiv Sena making friendly overtures to the NCP. 

Sharad Pawar's NCP won 54 seats in the recently concluded state assembly election.

“The decision on Maharashtra will be taken in Maharashtra, the Chief Minister will be from the Shiv Sena,” Raut told reporters. Amid reports of the Shiv Sena making friendly overtures to the NCP, Raut said Sharad Pawar would not be the next chief minister of the state.

Sanjay Raut also said the politics of Maharashtra was changing and his party would win in its fight for justice. “The politics of Maharashtra is changing...in our fight for justice, we will win,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

On Monday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also held a meeting with Maharashtra Governor  Bhagat Singh Koshyari and said Sena cannot be held responsible for the stalemate.

"We kept our talk forward. He heard us. We just wanted to tell him that the government is not being formed, and for ensuing confusion, we are not responsible," Mr Raut told reporters.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena are locked in a bitter tussle over the issue of chief minister’s post, resulting in a stalemate in government formation despite results of the Assembly polls on October 24 giving the saffron alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.

In the polls, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.