No competition in party over CM post: Vinod Tawde

BJP leader Vinod Tawde on Wednesday said there was no competition whatsoever within the party for the chief minister's post and the issue would be sorted out during the legislature party meeting soon.

Tawde was speaking to the media after calling on Maharashtra governor C Vidyasagar Rao. Even though Tawde said he had met Rao to offer Diwali greetings like every year, party sources are speculating the possibility of a discussion between the two over the possible date for the CM's swearing-in.

Tawde said the CM will be chosen during the legislature party meeting and the decision will be forwarded to the parliamentary board. He said the board will give the final nod.

Replying to a question on Nitin Gadkari's name doing the rounds for the CM's post, Tawde said that was quite natural and bound to happen after senior party leader Gopinath Munde's death.

Tawde, when asked to comment on a statement by Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai about Sena's readiness to support BJP to form government, said, "No government can be run on pre-conditions. If we want to run the coalition government, we have to come closer in the real sense."

Desai had said Sena was ready to support BJP for the formation of government. However, Sena leader Gajanan Kirtikar had said BJP should accept the 1995 formula of sharing cabinet berths in equal numbers by both parties.

BJP has already rejected the proposal and offered sharing ministerial berths proportionate to the mandate given by people of the state. It has offered one-third departments to Sena, and proposed two-third for itself considering that BJP has double the number of MLAs than Sena.