The erstwhile Janata Dal that had been formed with the coming together of the Janata Party, Jan Morcha, Lok Dal (A) and Lok Dal (B), had won the 1989 assembly elections and Chaudhary Ajit Singh had been declared as the party's chief ministerial candidate.
"Why has the Governor given the BJP such a long time (till November 30) to prove its majority? If he invites us, we can prove our strength in 10 minutes flat," Raut declared.
Shiv Sena senior leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday took a dig at BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar's early morning oath-taking ceremony by calling it 'Accidental Shapath Grahan' (accidental swearing-in). Raut's tweet comes hours before the Supreme Court hearing on the combine petition filed by the Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party seeking quashing of the Maharashtra Governor's decision to swear-in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister.
Anything is possible in love, war and politics. On Friday night, the Shiv Sena camp was elated after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar declared that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray would head a coalition government for the next five years.
Maharashtra is set to see a new government with three parties of different ideological leanings deciding to stitch an alliance - a move that surprised political observers as well as leaders in Delhi as no one had anticipated it. But sources say that a car ride in Mumbai changed the equation between once foes.
The Congress and the NCP held a marathon meeting to discuss the common minimum programme (CMP) to form an alliance government in Maharashtra, saying that no government can be formed without the three parties.
There could be two chief ministers on a rotational basis in Maharashtra, sources told PTI on Wednesday. The report said Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena would get the position for the first half while the latter half will go to Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sources also indicated a deputy chief minister's post for Congress for the full five-year term.
As late as this October, the Sena mocked Rahul Gandhi's foreign trips. Addressing a rally in Ahmednagar, the Thackeray senior ridiculed Rahul's Bangkok sojourn by saying, "Your leader [Rahul Gandhi] has reached Bangkok. So, you [Balasaheb Thorat] too, can sit at home..."
To a question whether Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sanjay Raut said, "for the cause of the farmers, he will go and meet anybody."
Sanjay Raut also asserted that a strong and stable government led by his party will be formed in Maharashtra soon. Speaking at a press conference, Sanjay Raut said, "A Shiv Sena-led government will be formed in Maharashtra soon. It will be a stable, strong and effective government. We want Uddhav Thackerey to lead the government."
Following the inability of BJP, the single largest party, to form the government, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari last week invited the second and third largest parties, namely- Shiv Sena and NCP to form government in the state.
Pre-poll allies BJP and Shiv Sena contested the October 21 Assembly polls together. The BJP bagged 105 out of 288 seats while Shiv Sena managed to win 56 seats. However, the alliance fell apart after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded rotational chief ministerial post, a demand denied by the BJP.
Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi's meet comes as the NCP is in talks with its ally Congress for a possible alliance with the Shiv Sena after Sena's alliance with the BJP fell apart over the chief minister's post in Maharashtra.
Amid the current political stalemate in Maharashtra, Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari has likened politics with cricket, saying "anything" Could happen in both these fields as those who appear to be losing the match might actually win the game.
A scheduled joint committee meeting of Congress and NCP leaders to work out details of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the formation of government in Maharashtra with support of the Shiv Sena was cancelled. However, NCP chief Sharad Pawar later told reporters that his nephew Ajit deliberately made remarks about visiting Baramati, his hometown in Pune district, in the night to avoid media.
Meanwhile, in a vitriolic attack on the BJP, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday said it was deriving "sadistic pleasure" out of the struggle of other political parties to form government in Maharashtra. Without taking any names, the Sena said those who talk of ethics in politics are currently the "most disruptive".
On Tuesday, President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in a report to the Centre stated that the formation of a stable government was impossible in the current situation despite all his efforts.
Despite their alliance getting a majority, the BJP and the Shiv Sena parted ways following a disagreement over power-sharing, with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party insisting on the chief minister's post.
The Congress and NCP said on Tuesday evening that they had not taken any decision about supporting the Shiv Sena to form government in Maharashtra yet, but will hold further discussions.
20 days after elections, Maharashtra has ended up with President's Rule. Despite hectic parleys, no party could prove numbers before Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who exhausted all options before sending a report to the Centre after which the cabinet recommended President's Rule.
Top News
Latest News
