Shiv Sena responds to Fadnavis' Mahayuti hint; compares fallout to Aamir Khan's divorce

Reacting to ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis' 'Mahayuti' hint, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday, compared the Sena-BJp fallout to superstar Aamir Khan's divorce from his wife Kiran Rao. Stating that as the Bollywood couple remained friends post-separation, they too met with each other but added that they were not going to form a government. Maharashtra's two-day assembly begins today.

Raut compares Sena-BJP fallout to Aamir Khan's divorce

"We are not India And Pakistan, we meet and talk to each other. Our paths are politically different as said by Devendra Fadnavis. As Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan's paths are different, but they are friends and so are we. We are not forming any government," said Raut. Echoing Raut's sentiment, BJP Maharashtra chief Chandrakant Patil said, "Devendra Fadnavis ji has said that BJP Shivsena are not enemies, it's 100% true but this doesn't mean that both will come together and form govt".

Urging Opposition to allow the session to occur without ruckus, Raut added, "If the opposition party don't let sessions happen, then it is their helplessness. I want the session to continue for two days, so that whatever question Maharashtra's public have, can be discussed. Tell the government and chief ministers what to do, but by doing ruckus the nation will not work as said by PM Narendra Modi".

Earlier on Sunday, Fadnavis said, "We (Sena and the BJP) were never enemies. They were our friends and people whom they fought against, they formed a government together with them (NCP-Congress) and they left us". "There are no ifs and buts in politics. Decisions are taken as per prevailing situations," he added.

BJP-Sena relations

Recently, Shiv Sena has been warming up to BJP with Raut claiming that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had never obstructed the formation of the Thackeray government which had baffled BJP Maharashtra. Assuring that Sena enjoyed good relations with PM Modi, Sena mouthpiece Saamana said the additional 30-minute meeting which Thackeray had with the PM will not 'change the Maharashtra govt'. Several leaders have speculated that the sudden ED scanner on Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, ex-minister Anil Deshmukh and several other Shiv Sena leaders may motivate NCP or Sena to re-ally with BJP.

BJP-Sena fallout

Prior to the 2019 Maharashtra state polls, Shiv Sena had reiterated that it will accept only the 50:50 formula, while BJP denied ever having agreed to such a formula. It allegedly offered 13 cabinet portfolios to Sena while keeping 26 for its ministers. Apart from Sena's portfolio demand, the party had demanded a sharing of 2.5 years in the CM post too; this too was  refused by Devendra Fadnavis, stating, 'The next govt will be formed under a BJP CM.' With no respite to the deadlock, Sena allied with NCP-Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Amid their alliance talks, Fadnavis had unsuccessfully partnered with Ajit Pawar to be sworn-in as Maharashtra CM for mere 72 hours. As Pawar rescinded his support, Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on November 28, 2019.