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The 63 newly elected legislators of the Shiv Sena are putting pressure on party president Uddhav Thackeray to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government in Maharashtra. Also, a large number of Shiv Sena legislators want the party to join the BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra.
Thackeray has been given all powers to take a decision on whether or not to join the government. A one line resolution was passed at the meeting of Shiv Sena’s legislators in this regard.
The BJP, on Monday, indicated it was not keen to go out of the way to bring the Shiv Sena on board. “BJP observers, including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, are expected to be in Mumbai on Tuesday to attend the meeting of new legislators and also elect party's leader in the Assembly. There is no scheduled meeting between Rajnath and Uddhav. Let the Shiv Sena come and discuss the issue with the BJP,” a state BJP unit executive member said. He said the central leadership would take a call on NCP’s offer of outside support.
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The Shiv Sena, it is believed, is keen to get the post of deputy chief minister and five-10 other berths in the state Cabinet. The BJP is ready to discuss with the Shiv Sena its terms and conditions and not Sena's pre-conditions.
A Shiv Sena leader who did not want to be named, told Business Standard, “The Shiv Sena is still undecided on extending its support or joining the BJP-led government. Let the BJP first decide on NCP's offer of outside support.”
Shiv Sena MP from western Maharashtra hoped Uddhav would soon take a decision.
“The Shiv Sena needs to be a part of the new government. Though the Shiv Sena and BJP fought the polls independently after breaking the 25-year-old alliance, it is time to start afresh,'' he said. Both the parties had aimed to dislodge Congress and NCP and it has been now achieved. Voters have given a mandate for new government which will be transparent and progressive in its functioning. Shiv Sena's participation will be quite crucial for a stable government,'' he said.
Sena MP recalled that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance government was in power during 1995 and 1999. The Sena was the lead player; the BJP was its junior partner. However, after the BJP's spectacular sweep in the national election this year, the party made it clear that it wanted to recalibrate the arrangement for Maharashtra. Uddhav disagreed, and the alliance broke in September.
