Sanjay Raut and other Sena MP may sit at Opposition side, amid BJP-Sena fallout

Amid the stalemate in Maharashtra over government formation, sources informed Republic TV that Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and Anil Desai have changed their seat arrangement. Hinting at a final breakup of teh saffron alliance of Shiv Sena and BJP, sources said that the Rajya Sabha MP's will sit at the side of Opposition in the upcoming winter session. Additionally, Shiv Sena's 18 Lok Sabha MPs on Thursday decided to boycott the all MPs meeting on November 17 prior to the Winter session of the Parliament.  

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Uddhav for CM

Previously last week, switching from Aaditya to the Sena Supremo, party's supporters had put up a poster outside Matoshree with the demand of making Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Minister. While the Sena has been demanding the CM post for 2.5 years for newly elected MLA from Worli and Uddhav's son, Aaditya Thackeray, reports suggest that the new demand of making Uddhav as CM was discussed as the Sena chief met MLAs in Hotel Retreat on last Sunday. Uddhav Thackeray is yet to comment on the matter.

READ | NCP responds to 'Sena love'; says 'stay tuned' amid Maha-govt formation

Pawar to meet Sonia Gandhi

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar is set to meet Congress Sonia Gandhi on Sunday to finalise on the Cong-NCP-Sena's Common Minimum Programme. Congress interim-chief Sonia Gandhi is allegedly unhappy with Maharashtra Congress state leaders, as per sources. Gandhi, who was in a meeting with senior Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, KC Venugopal has allegedly expressed her disapproval of state leaders contacting Sena before ironing out a pact with NCP, as per sources. But Pawar, on the other hand, has stated that a Sena-NCP-Congress government will be formed which will run for 5 years, ruling out mid-term elections. Similarly, former CM Devendra Fadnavis has claimed that BJP will form the next govt.

READ | Congress raining on NCP-Sena parade? No Maha govt without Sonia nod, says Kharge

Sena to get CM post

Earlier on Friday, sources have reported that the Sena-NCP-Congress alliance has decided on a formula, with the Sena retaining the CM post for all 5 years. Sources further report that the cabinet will be split with Sena getting 16 portfolios, NCP -14 and Congress will get 12 berths. Meanwhile, President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra on Tuesday after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was satisfied that none of the parties - Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress, and NCP could not form a stable government. The Mahayuti alliance fell out with the  Sena insisting an equal sharing of CM post for 2.5 years and portfolios, while BJP refused to these demands. BJP too has been conducting marathon meetings for the past two days.

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