As the stalemate over govt formation in Maharashtra continued, BJP Leader Devendra fadnavis resigned as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra a day before the term of the previous assembly is to expire.
His govt which was in alliance with the Shiv Sena, was re-elected on October 24 with a comfortable majority of 161 seats. However pre-poll alliance partner Shiv Sena has broken the alliance and consequently no political party individually has the numbers to form the govt.
Devendra Fadnavis said that BJP was in shock when Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray said that he had various options open to form the government in the state in his first press conference soon after the announcement of results of recent State Assembly elections. He also said that the issue of rotational Chief Minister’s post for two and half years was never discussed with him. He said, he also checked with BJP President Amit Shah on this issue, but Shah too said that a proposal came from Sena but no decision was taken on it.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena does not seem to be in mood to back down. Party President Uddhav Thackeray also addressed the media and claimed that in February, before the Lok Sabha Polls, both the BJP and Shiv Sena had agreed for sharing the cm’s post between them.
The BJP and Shiv Sena are locked in a tussle over the issue of the Chief Minister’s post, resulting in a stalemate despite the Assembly poll results giving the alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.