Sena stakes claim for Leader of Opposition

To contest for the Speaker post; Devendra Fadnavis indicates no move for talks to repair breach in ties

The rift between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena, old allies, widened on Monday. The Sena formally staked a claim for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

A letter signed by party president Uddhav Thackeray was given to the secretariat of the state legislature, seeking appointment of its group leader, Eknath Shinde, to the post.

Also, the Sena decided to contest for Speaker of the legislative assembly. It asked legislators Vijay Auti and Gulabrao Patil to file their nominations on Tuesday. One of them will withdraw later; the poll is on Wednesday. If the Sena nominee remains in the fray, he will be pitted against the BJP's nominee Haribhau Bagde, a former minister and MLA from Marathwada.

These developments followed the lack of any initiative from the BJP for a resumption of talks to get Sena support in the assembly and for induction of its members in the council of ministers. In the 287-member House, the Sena has 63 members; the BJP has 121.

The Congress, with 42 members, has also staked claim for Leader of the Opposition.

The former alies might come together in a governing coalition. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “As of now, there are no direct talks between the BJP and Shiv Sena. There maybe back-channel or indirect talks on convincing the Shiv Sena to support the government. BJP is prepared to hold talks on issues of principle.”

A seemingly relaxed Fadnavis said he was confident of proving his majority in the confidence motion to be moved on Wednesday. The BJP, with 121 members, is supported by one MLA of the Rashtriya Samaj Party, seven Independents and three members of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), with 41 members, has announced support from outside.

The CM said the Sena should have extended its support to the BJP immediately after the poll results were out. Further, it should have allowed party MP Anil Desai to join the Union Cabinet on Sunday, with an invitation having already gone out after consulting the Sena. Desai would have got the ministries of rural development and health.

Fadnavis said he’d expand his 10-member ministerial council on Friday or thereafter. “It will be my attempt to keep the number of ministers minimum, with maximum governance,” he added.