Gulabrao Patil: 'CM should be from Shiv Sena, we won't negotiate'

With the ongoing crisis over the Chief Minister's post between the Bhartiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena in Mumbai, MLA Gulabrao Patil from the regional party on Friday stated that in no situation Sena will compromise its demand.
"Our only goal is to ensure that the chief minister is from Shiv Sena. There is no question of negotiations on this. Even if there is a disruption of some sorts the decision taken by party chief Uddhav Thackeray will be final," Patil said. 

Gulabrao Patil and Shiv Sena's other MLAs are currently accommodated at the Rangsharda Hotel for two days, as a precaution to avoid any attempts of poaching.

Shiv Sena had earlier stated that its legislators are all committed to the party. Patil, however, did not state whether Aaditya Thackeray or Eknath Shinde will be the CM face of the party. "Even Eknath Shindeji is a Shiv Sainik," he said.

The Shiv Sena is trying hard to promote its demand to make Aaditya Thackeray the next CM of Maharashtra. However, Eknath Shinde was unanimously elected as the party's legislative leader on November 7. The deadline for forming a government in the state is November 9. Shiv Sena is adamant on its demand for an equal share in Cabinet portfolios and also the Chief Minister's position for 2.5 years.

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Sena's 50-50 formula

A day after the election results were announced, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, outside Uddhav Thackeray's residence Matoshree said that the Chief Ministerial post must be equally divided between BJP and Sena for 2.5 years each. He wanted BJP president Amit Shah to give the assurance in writing and to maintain the 50-50 formula that was sealed before polls. 

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Maharashtra poll result

When the poll result was announced on October 24, the saffron alliance in Maharashtra won a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56). In a surprising comeback, the 'Maha- Agadhi' alliance (NCP-Congress), Sharad Pawar's NCP bagged 54 seats while the languishing Congress won 44 seats. Though the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will form the next government, it was handed a diminished mandate compared to 2014 where it won 185 seats.

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(With inputs from ANI)