Not over? Uddhav tells MLAs he's still open to '50:50' & BJP: Sources

After falling out with its pre-poll ally BJP over the CM post and then seeking support of the NCP and Congress to form government in Maharashtra but failing to do so - thereby resulting in the imposition of President's rule in Maharashtra - Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in a press conference on Tuesday said that Shiv Sena can still form the government as they are in talks with NCP and Congress and have six months to work out the modalities. However, according to sources, Uddhav has also told the MLAs of his party that they are still in contact with the BJP and if the BJP agrees for the 50-50 formula, then both the parties will be happy together. 

A short while earlier, while addressing a briefing, Uddhav Thackeray had said that it was the BJP which had brought about the presumed end of the alliance by not honouring its '50:50' agreement and declining to form a government. 

BJP-Sena rift 

The Maharashtra assembly election results were declared on October 24, with BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 105 seats while Shiv Sena secured 56 seats. Despite the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance securing a comfortable majority in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, they could not form the government owing to a dispute over the Chief Minister’s post. After caretaker Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray traded barbs on November 8, BJP refused to accept the invite to form the government. While the Sena expressed its willingness for government formation, it requested 48 hours to garner the letters of support from the MLAs of NCP and Congress. This request was rejected by the Governor after which he invited NCP, the third-largest party.

Fadnavis calls President's rule 'unfortunate'

After President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra over a 20-day long political impasse, BJP's Devendra Fadnavis called the imposition 'very unfortunate' and said that the BJP expects that the state will get a 'stable' government. The BJP leader further said that he expects the other parties to take the situation seriously. 

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Shiv Sena files petition 

On Tuesday, the Shiv Sena challenged this order of Governor Koshyari by filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court.  Later, in an interaction with the media, Congress and NCP admitted that they were still holding talks on the possibility of forming a government, hinting at a delay in the creation of the new alliance with Shiv Sena. Furthermore, both parties also slammed the Governor for imposing President’s Rule in the state.

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