On the 2nd of November, the Shiv Sena criticised a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader for his comment about the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra.
Amidst an ongoing fight between the Shiv Sena and the BJP over power sharing, Sudhir Mungantiwar, the Finance Minister of Maharashtra, said if the new Government is not formed by the 7th of November, the State would be under the rule of the President.
Mr. Mungantiwar, on the 1st of November, said, “A new government will have to be in place within the stipulated time, or else the President will have to intervene. President’s rule will be imposed if the government formation doesn’t happen in the given time.”
The Shiv Sena deemed the “threatening statement” by Sudhir Mungantiwar “unconstitutional” and “against democracy.”
In an editorial published in the Party’s mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena said, “It is like Mughal’s diktat. The law and constitution are not anyone’s slaves. We are not responsible for the current condition of Maharashtra politics and the people of Maharashtra know it. We know what is law and constitution (sic.)”
Blaming the BJP for the current situation pertaining to the Maharashtra Government, Shiv Sena said the BJP is not accepting their demands, due to which there is no progress in the process of Government formation.
The Shiv Sena also said, “The attitude of people who thought that they are born to rule or even after not getting majority they will come back in government are losers today. And the same people are threatening to impose President’s rule.”
The Shiv Sena and the BJP are fighting over the Chief Minister’s (CM) post in Maharashtra. Both the parties want their candidates, Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena) and Devendra Fadnavis (BJP,) to become the CM.
Devendra Fadnavis is currently the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Assembly’s term is due to end on the 8th of November and if the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance fails to form the next Government, the State would be under President’s rule.
On the 21st of October, Maharashtra conducted its Assembly elections for 288 seats, out of which, 105 were secured by the BJP and 56 by the Shiv Sena.
To form the Government in the State, a party should have a majority of 146 seats in Maharashtra.
Ever since the alliance of the BJP and the Shiv Sena won the Maharashtra Assembly elections, they are fighting for 50:50 sharing of the key posts in the Cabinet and the CM’s post. The results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections were announced on the 24th of October.
Neither the BJP nor the Shiv Sena is ready to settle without the CM’s post and discussions regarding the same are still going on.
Stay tuned for further updates.
