State without CM for 8 days after results against people's wishes: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday alleged that the "unnatural" verdict in Maharashtra, which saw Mahayuti winning big in assembly polls, has delayed the selection of chief minister for the last eight days.

Raut indicated that differences in Mahayuti forced caretaker chief minister Eknath Shinde to go to his village in Satara district amidst the government formation efforts.

Notably, a key Mahayuti meeting scheduled on Friday was put off as Shinde headed to his native village, delaying government formation a week after poll results.

"Eight days have passed since results were declared but Maharashtra has not been able to get a CM. The caretaker CM (Eknath Shinde) has gone to his village. Why is this happening?...The results are unnatural and against the wishes of people. There are agitations all over the state," Raut said.

He alleged that a sudden rise in the number of votes cast in the last hours of polling was the "architect" of the Mahayuti's victory in Maharashtra and Haryana.

"76 lakh votes were polled from 5 pm to 11.30 pm (on November 20 in Maharashtra). What happened to these 76 lakh votes? Similarly, in Haryana, 14 lakh votes rose. This vote rise was the architect of Mahayuti's victory," Raut told reporters.

He said the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was studying the poll results and "technicalities" behind them.

The Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats, including BJP bagging the maximum 132, restricting the tally of MVA, comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP), to 46 seats.

Raut clarified that the MVA stands united and rejected reports of any fissures in the opposition in view of the poll drubbing.

"No one in the Maha Vikas Aghadi is talking about contesting polls independently. There is a difference between Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. A right decision will be taken at an appropriate time," he said when asked if Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest the upcoming local bodies' polls solo.

Raut said Congress, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray are engaged in a continuous dialogue.