Mumbai:
Notwithstanding the claims made by senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut of Sena having the numbers to stake claim at government formation, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) apparently playing cool still maintains that it will form the next government by November 7. In a swift rejoinder senior BJP Minister for Forests Sudhir Mungantiwar on Saturday retorted to Raut remarking that being the Forest minister he was well versed in handling the Tiger. According to sources in the BJP a venue in South Mumbai has been booked ostensibly for the swearing-in ceremony on November 5.
Although the Maharashtra Congress delegation led by its state president Balasaheb Thorat had called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to seek her views on supporting the Sena in government formation, AICC in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge poured cold water on the move. Speaking to newspersons he said “there is no discussion with anybody to form the government in Maharashtra. People have given us the mandate to sit in the opposition”.
Sources in the Congress in New Delhi argued that the party is looking ahead in terms of contesting future elections and rebuilding the party in the intervening five year period. The Congress leadership stand on Maharashtra comes days ahead of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar’s official meeting with the Congress president in New Delhi.
Even as the NCP chief is slated to meet the Congress chief to enlist Congress support to thwart BJPs moves to form the government in Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar remarked “We are not in contact with anyone. We have got the mandate to sit in the opposition and we are ready for it”. The NCP chief too has ruled out his party supporting the Sena in its bid to form the government and keep the BJP away from power in Maharashtra.
Earlier in the day, waiving an envelope to the media, Raut claimed that the Sena has the numbers to form the government. He further argued that the Sena will not rest till it gets the Chief Ministers post. Raut further alleged that the BJP was lying on the power sharing formula and contended that the formula was agreed upon by the two alliance partners before the assembly elections.
