In his first remarks on the Maharashtra political crisis, this is what Amit Shah said.
Breaking his silence on Maharashtra impasse due to BJP-Shiv Sena power struggle, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said Devendra Fadnavis had been decided as the chief minister of the alliance before the election and "no one objected back then."
Following the election results on October 24, in which the BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly and Shiv Sena's 56 candidates emerged victorious, the latter's demand of rotational chief ministership was denied by Shah-led party, creating a yet-to-end impasse in Maharashtra.
In his first remarks on the Maharashtra political crisis, the BJP president said, "Before the election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I said many times in our public rallies that if our alliance wins, then Devendra Fadnavis will be the CM, no one objected back then. Now they have come up with new demands which are not acceptable to us."
Reacting to opposition's allegations that President's rule was imposed in haste, Shah said political parties were given 18 days after the results were announced to show that they had a majority.
"Before this, in no state was so much time has been given. Eighteen days were given, the governor invited parties only after the assembly tenure came to an end. Neither the Shiv Sena, Congress-NCP or BJP staked claim," he said.
President's Rule was imposed in the state on Thursday after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's report to Centre that no stable government was possible in Maharashtra under the current political scenario.
Shah, however, said that any party which has the numbers can still approach the governor. "Even today if anyone has the numbers they can approach the governor. The governor has not denied the chance to anyone. A learned lawyer like Kapil Sibal is putting forth childish arguments like 'we were denied a chance to form government'."
Shiv Sena and BJP contested the recently-held assembly elections together but failed to reach an agreement for government formation. The Shiv Sena's demand of 50-50 government formula, asking for the chief minister's post of two and half years was not accepted by the BJP.
After BJP failed to stake claim to form the government, the Shiv Sena has tried to enlist the support of NCP and Congress for an alliance government.
Since Shiv Sena has 56 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, way below the half-way mark of 144, it will need both the NCP's 54 and Congress' 44 legislators to reach the magic number.
NCP and Congress are currently engaged in talks among themselves and will present a deal to the Shiv Sena, including a common minimum programme before joining hands with the party that has a diametrically opposite ideology.
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