In a new twist in the ongoing psychological tug-of-war between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena over government formation in Maharashtra, BJP leader and Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said that no meeting was scheduled to take place between BJP and Sena leaders on Tuesday and even the BJP was informed about the cancellation of this meeting by media.
Talking about the implementation of 50:50 formula being raised by Shiv Sena, Patil, who is also Maharashtra BJP chief, said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already informed that he was not aware of the agreement reached between BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray over the 50:50 formula.
"Devendra ji today said that a proposal of CM for 2.5 yrs each(BJP-Shiv Sena) had come during Lok Sabha elections. He also said he doesn't know what was decided,only Amit Shah knows. Amit ji&Uddhav ji will talk to each other&bring a clarity," said Patil.
Maharashtra BJP chief,Chandrakant Patil: Devendra ji today said that a proposal of CM for 2.5 yrs each(BJP-Shiv Sena) had come during Lok Sabha elections. He also said he doesn't know what was decided,only Amit Shah knows. Amit ji&Uddhav ji will talk to each other&bring a clarity pic.twitter.com/bmcV2Bo5rM
— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2019
Patil, however, admitted that the 50:50 formula was discussed in the run-up to Lok Sabha election but he does not know anything about the decision taken by Shah and Uddhav Thackeray during the meeting over this formula. The BJP leader said that decision on government formation in Maharashtra will be taken by BJP president Shah and Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray. Patil added that newly-elected BJP MLAs will meet on Wednesday (October 30) to elect the legislative party leader. Sources told Zee Media that incumbent CM Fadnavis will be elected as the leader of BJP legislative party in Maharashtra. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and BJP national vice president Avinash Rai Khanna have been appointed as Central Observers for BJP legislative party meeting.
Earlier on Tuesday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said that the proposed meeting between Shiv Sena and BJP leaders, which was scheduled to take place at 4 PM, was cancelled Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Raut once again reminded the BJP of the 50:50 formula agreed between the two sides and stressed that there should be an equal distribution of power and portfolios between the Sena and BJP.
The senior Shiv Sena claimed that the discussions over 50:50 formula were held between Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray and BJP president Amit Shah in the presence of Maharashtra CM Fadnavis before Lok Sabha election. Raut also claimed that Fadnavis is wrong in saying that there was no agreement on 50:50 formula as Shah had assured for 50:50 sharing on CM's post during Lok Sabha election.
"I don't know what the CM has said. If he is saying that the '50-50 formula' was never discussed, then I think we need to change the definition of truth. What was discussed, regarding the issue the CM is talking about, is known by all. The media was there," Raut said.
