Mumbai: In a clear indication that the Shiv Sena has no intention of abandoning its claim to the post of chief minister, its president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reiterated that the Bharatiya Janata Party must honour its word and share power with his party on a 50-50 basis.
A vitriolic editorial in the Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana also accused its ally of carrying out the “second act of the ‘use-and-throw” policy and stated that there is no permanent enemy in politics.
Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut also met the NCP chief Sharad Pawar at the latter’s residence on Thursday. According to sources, both the leaders discussed the current political scenario in the state for half an hour. However, Raut denied it, saying he had only gone to greet Pawar on Diwali.
The developments came in the wake of reports that his party had softened its stand.
Addressing the party’s newly-elected MLAs at Sena Bhavan in Dadar on Thursday, the Sena chief stated that he had not received any power-sharing formula from the BJP on the government formation so far. “But if the BJP fails to fulfil its promise, we have other options available too,” he warned.
“Our values say that one should keep one’s promise. We are in no hurry to join the government. But our only demand is that the commitment be honoured. The BJP had promised before the Lok Sabha polls that all posts and responsibilities should be shared equally between both the parties and it should keep its word,” said Thackeray.
Meanwhile, the party elected senior MLA Eknath Shinde as the leader of its legislative party. The legislator said that the rights of distribution of portfolios and government formation had been given to Thackeray.
The Sena’s youth leader and Thackeray’s son Aaditya also refused to talk about government formation, saying that the party had given all rights to his father on this issue. “I will not talk about government formation. Whatever Uddhav Thackeray says will be the final word on the issue,” he said after meeting governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
