Sena not in politics of trade, will declare stand once no one

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said his party would declare its next strategy once no one else is able to form government in Maharashtra, and asserted that politics was not a trade for his party.

Without taking name of any individual or party, he said the bubble of being "invincible" has burst and the arrogance of "buying" a politician to form government will no longer work in the state.

The Shiv Sena "will step in" ifno one forms government, Raut told reporters here.

He also welcomed the decision of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to invite the BJP to form government in the state.

"I welcome the governor's decision to invite the BJP. The single largest party had to be called. We fail to understand why the BJP did not stake claim in 24 hours (after results) if it was confident that it had the majority," the Rajya Sabha member said.

"I don't think the BJP has enough strength to stake claim for government formation...I am told the governor has asked the BJP to inform him about its decision by 8 pm on November 11," he said.

On the Sena's future course of action, he said, "Let the picture be clear on the first step by governor. The Shiv Sena will declare its strategy if no one else is able to form the government."
Asked if the Shiv Sena has entered into a 'deal' with the Congress and NCP, Raut said, "We are not traders to make deals. Politics is not a trade for the Shiv Sena. 'Profit' and 'loss' (words) are not in our dictionary."
On posters put up by Sena workers near Thackeray's residence here demanding that he be the chief minister, Raut said, "Uddhav Thackeray is the Shiv Sena leader and he will take an appropriate decision at the right time. He has already said he will make a Shiv Sainikthe CM."
When a reporter pointed out that the Sena was not criticising the opposition NCP in the wake of a possible alliance between the two parties, Raut said, "We have not criticised the BJP either. The election campaign is over and things said during the campaign are irrelevant."