BJP firm on Fadnavis as CM even as Shiv Sena wants post on sharing basis

Mumbai, June 20: 'Who will be the next Maharashtra Chief Minister' is likely to emerge as a contentious issues between the two allies ahead of the Assembly polls as Shiv Sena wants the CM's post to be shared for 2.5 years each, while the BJP seems firm on Devendra Fadnavis.

Reports say that both the parties would contest the Maharashtra Assembly elections in alliance this time. The seat sharing is yet to be finalised. Maharashtra Assembly has 288 seats.

If both BJP and Shiv Sena contest on 135 seats each, as some reports suggest, then 18 would be left for the other smaller allies. But, Shiv Sena had earlier stated that it wants to contest on 144 seats, while the BJP would provide seats to smaller parties from its quota.

Then in February this year, Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had said that the next chief minister of Maharashtra would be from his party. Even a recent editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna had hinted that the party would aim for the chief minister's post in Maharashtra this time.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray reportedly wants that Maharashtra CM's post be shared between the two allies for 2.5 years each.

But the BJP is adamant on Fadnavis. On june 11, BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar, who is also a minister in Fadnavis' cabinet, said that the next chief minister of Maharashtra will be from the BJP.

"Devendra Fadnavis is appreciated by all and he will be the CM again with everyone's support. Shiv Sena is our ally, leaders of opposition are of the opinion that Devendra Fadnavis should be the CM," BJP's Ram Kadam told ANI today.

The Sena and the BJP had contested the previous Maharashtra assembly polls separately, but the Uddhav Thackeray-led party allied with the BJP and formed the government later. Of the total 288 seats, the BJP had won 122 and emerged as the single largest party. Sena had come a distant second with 63 seats.