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Maharashtra: 'CM seat-sharing talk by Sena is all hot air'

Sena first floated the idea about sharing CM tenure thinking BJP would perform poorly in LS polls

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Even as Shiv Sena tom-toms about having arrived at a deal with its state ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), about sharing the Chief Minister's seat for two-and-a-half years, a senior BJP leader has categorically told DNA that no such arrangement as has been formally, or informally, accepted by the leadership.

His opinion is that Sena is resorting to grandstanding to keep its cadre together. The source says the seed for the idea was sown when the two parties were locked in negotiations for the Lok Sabha polls. A senior strategist, who recently joined the regional party, tired to convince senior leadership of this arrangement. The BJP rejected it outright, but the negotiator urged the party to keep swilling the idea about to keep the Sena engaged and enthused. He contended that this would build the perception that Sena bargained hard and didn't undermine its importance in the alliance.

One faction of Sena was not expecting the BJP to perform impressively in the Lok Sabha polls, and felt this would increase their party's bargaining power, says the source. They were ready to demand the CM's post in that scenario. However, the national party's overwhelming victory made the plan redundant. Now the state leadership is buoyant and in no mood to surrender the CM post.

BJP is of the opinion that the partners must share power and posts equally as the alliance is based not merely on poll math but a common ideology. This means equal sharing of ministerial portfolios and the deputy chief minister's post for Sena. However, Sena interpreted this as sharing of portfolios and tenure for the top post.

Recently, BJP state unit chief Chandrakant Patil announced that equal sharing of seats with Shiv Sena won't be possible. He argued that his party won 122 seats on its own. However, with four entrants from other parties and six 'supportive' independents, the division of 132 seats will have to be discussed again. If BJP contests 135 seats, it will leave just three seats for new entrants, a fact both parties are aware of.

Clearly it is a problem of plenty for the traditional allies, and each will need to step back a little to arrive at a consensus for the state polls.

Poll Dance

 Sena first floated the idea about sharing CM tenure thinking BJP would perform poorly in LS polls
 A source says Sena still hangs on to the idea to keep its cadre together and enthused

 

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