Mumbai: With the Shiv Sena insisting on 50-50 power-sharing formula, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sanjay Kakade created a flutter in political circles on Saturday by claiming that 45 of the newly-elected Sena MLAs are keen on their party joining hands with the BJP.
They want Devendra Fadnavis as their Chief Minister, he said. The claim is being seen as a veiled threat to pressurise the Sena to toe the BJP’s line on the government formation.
Interestingly, Kakade’s statement has come barely a few days after the reports of Sena MLAs insisting on equal power-sharing.
“Out of 56, there are 45 Sena MLAs who have expressed their interest in government formation along with the BJP. They have asked us to induct them into the government. The MLAs are saying they want to be a part of the government with BJP,” said Kakade, who is BJP’s associate MP in the Rajya Sabha.
“Nearly 45 MLAs of the Shiv Sena wish that their party should ally with the BJP to form the next government with Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister,” Kakade said.
The Sena leaders, he said, have conveyed their wish to the BJP leadership.
“These 45 MLAs will convince Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to form an alliance government under the leadership of Fadnavis,” he added.
