assembly-elections

Updated: Oct 27, 2019 15:30 IST

The Shiv Sena has been bargaining hard with its ally BJP since the Maharashtra election results, insisting on a 50:50 power-sharing formula. In a message to the Sena, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the BJP is the “single-largest party” in the assembly and a “BJP-led alliance” will provide a stable government in the state.

Fadnavis, who was addressing BJP workers in Mumbai in Saturday, said the process of government formation will start after Diwali. “The mandate is a clear majority for BJP, Shiv Sena, RPI, RSP, Shiv Sangram. The mandate will be respected. No one should have any doubt,” he said.

Fadnavis said BJP’s “strike rate” was better in 2019 than in 2014. “We contested 260 seats in 2014 and won 47 per cent seats and 28 percent votes. In 2019, we contested 150 seats. We won 70 per cent of seats and 26 per cent votes,” he said.

The CM claimed that this was the “highest strike rate by any political party.”

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288 member Maharashtra assembly while the Shiv Sena won 56 seats. BJP missing out on the halfway mark of 144 has handed bargaining partner to its ally.

Just hours after the polls results on Thursday, Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray reminded the BJP about the 50:50 power sharing formula the two parties had agreed to in February.

One part of the deal was that both the BJP and the Sena would field equal number of candidates. But finally the BJP put up 164 candidates and Sena 124.

Uddhav, who reluctantly accepted the status of a junior partner to the BJP, said who will be the “chief minister is an important question.”

The Sena chief said he accepted fewer seats after BJP’s Chandrakant Patil asked to understand their position. “I accepted fewer seats but now, if they are going to face hurdles then I cannot understand them because I have to take my party ahead,” Thackeray said.

The 56 newly elected Sena legislators met on Saturday party chief Uddhav Thackeray and told him that they want a written assurance from BJP that it will honour the power-sharing deal.