Maharashtra: Pawar lays to rest speculations of alliance with Shiv Sena

Laying to rest rumours of a possible Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday that BJP and Shiv Sena got the mandate of people, so they should form government. "Our mandate is to play the role of opposition," he said, reported ANI. "Where is the question of a Shiv Sena-NCP government? They [BJP-Sena] have been together for last 25 years. Today or tomorrow, they will come together again." Pawar was addressing mediapersons. 

Sanjay Raut, key Shiv Sena leader, had met with NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday, sparking fresh speculation that an electoral alliance might be on the cards. The BJP and Shiv Sena were yet to reach an agreement on who will hold the chief minister's post, though the two parties contested as an alliance and won a clear majority in the 288-member Assembly.

Speaking to mediapersons after their brief meeting, Raut was quoted by ANI as saying, “He is a senior leader of the state and the country. He is worried about the political situation in Maharashtra today. We had a brief discussion.”

Sanjay Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, had previously met Pawar on October 31 amid reports the Shiv Sena could be in touch with the Congress and NCP to form a coalition government. Raut had then described the meeting with Pawar as a courtesy call to extend Diwali wishes. In the polls, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44. The Shiv Sena (56) seats could conceivably form a government with the NCP and Congress. There were even claims Pawar would be the chief minister in a coalition with the Shiv Sena; however, Raut dismissed the claims.

The Sena had asked for 50:50 power sharing agreement with the BJP—they wanted key ministries and a rotating chief minister's post. Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that his party's demand for the chief minister's post was valid, and the basis for power sharing with the BJP must be the pre-poll agreement and not the number of seats won. "Government has to be formed as per what was agreed on [between the BJP and Shiv Sena before the polls] and not on the basis of which is the single largest party," Raut told a news channel.

The Sena has been rooting for Aaditya either as the next CM or deputy chief minister of the state. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, who also holds the BJP chief's post, have repeatedly said that Fadnavis will continue to be at the helm.