Maharashtra: Jan Surajya Shakti MLA Vinay Kore extends support to BJP

As the race to form government in Maharashtra continues after the recently concluded State elections, Jan Surajya Shakti party leader and Shahuwadi MLA Vinay Kore on Tuesday announced support to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra. Kore met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday amid the tussle between BJP- Shiv Sena over sharing of power.

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Vinay Kore’s outfit was part of the BJP-led NDA but he rebelled after the Shahuwadi seat in Kolhapur district was given to the Sena as part of the pre-poll arrangement. The Jan Surajya Shakti leader defeated Satyajit Babasaheb Patil Sarudkar of the Sena by over 27,000 votes in the October 21 Assembly polls. Kore is the president of Shree Warana Industrial and Educational Complex, Warananagar, and a former state minister of non-conventional energy and horticulture.

Earlier two independent MLAs met with Maharashtra CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and extended their support to the party. Independent MLAs, Vinod Agrawal and Mahesh Baldi, on Tuesday, extended their support to the BJP which won 105 seats in the state assembly elections. MLA Mahesh Baldi contested the state polls from Uran constituency and bagged 5710 votes, whereas Vinod Agrawal contested from Gondia constituency and won 75827 votes.

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Rebel MLAs extends support to BJP

Rebel MLA Geeta Jain who contested from Mira Bhayender Road met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday and extended her support to the Party. Another independent MLA Rajendra Raut from Barshi constituency also met the Chief Minister and extended support to the Bhartiya Janata Party. Meanwhile, two other rebel MLA's have extended support to Shiv Sena, sources reveal. The support of the independent MLA's will have a huge impact on the bargaining power of both parties. 

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Sena's 50-50 formula

Days 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. Moreover, Sena has put banners in the Worli constituency from where Aaditya Thackeray won the assembly polls declaring him as the next CM.

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(With agencies input)