Uddhav Thackeray insists on 50-50 power share

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena will form the next government in Maharashtra, albeit with a reduced margin, and some compromises.

Indicating that he would drive a hard bargain in talks with the BJP during government formation, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday that it was time to implement “fifty-fifty” formula for power-sharing decided during the Lok Sabha polls.

“Despite the 50:50 formula, I agreed to contest fewer seats in the Vidhan Sabha polls taking into consideration the BJP’s difficulties. However, I am now not ready to empathise with the BJP every time as I have to look after my own party’s growth,” he said. Claims for government formation will be made after discussing the formula, Mr Thackeray added.

Shiv Sena, which fought Assembly elections in Maharashtra in alliance with the BJP, has won 56 seats, and was leading in one more constituency as the results came in on Thursday. With the BJP’s tally coming down to 105 from 122 in 2014, the Shiv Sena’s bargaining power has increased.

While the two parties can form the government comfortably, the BJP fell short of its target of reaching near the half-way mark on its own, giving more leverage to the Sena.

The predictions of all pollsters were way off the mark, as the saffron allies could not repeat their remarkable performance in the Lok Sabha polls. In the 2014 Vidhan Sabha polls, the BJP and Sena had won 122 and 63 seats respectively. The two parties had fought separately.

“These Vidhan Sabha polls are an eye-opener for all parties,” said Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray after it became clear that neither the BJP nor his party could manage to get the expected numbers.

In comparison to this, the performance of major Opposition parties — the NCP and Congress — was much better. At the time of going to press, the former had won 54 seats, whereas the Congress has bagged 44. In the last polls, the NCP and the Congress had won 41 and 42 seats respectively.

With the BJP and Shiv Sena not getting the expected numbers, the tussle for power between the allies is only going to intensify.

According to sources, the Sena will bargain hard when it comes to sharing power with the BJP. It might even insist that the chief minister’s post be shared by both parties for two-and-half-years each. The party will also demand plum portfolios.

The BJP, however, has maintained that both parties would form the government. “Whatever is decided between the BJP and Shiv Sena will be revealed at the appropriate time,” chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said while replying to a query over the 50:50 formula.