New Delhi, Oct 19: Falling short of a majority, BJP is emerging as the largest party in Maharashtra assembly and Shiv Sena is finishing second, triggering conciliatory noises from the two former allies over government formation but each appeared to be waiting for the other to blink first.
Shiv Sena, though second in the race, was far behind with its nominees winning 12 seats and ahead in 43.Congress, which along with NCP ruled the state for 15 years in a row, looked set for a major debacle with the likelihood of finishing behind its former ally.
The party has pocketed 10 seats and is leading in 31, while NCP has secured 8 seats and its candidates are ahead in 37 constituencies.Of the 52 seats declared so far, CPI(M), MNS, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi have won one seat each, while independents have bagged two.
In a major setback for Congress, its campaign committee chief and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane lost to Shiv Sena candidate Vaibhav Naik in Kudal.Former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of Congress, NCP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar were, however, leaving in Karad South and Baramati. A top Congress Minister Harshwardhan Patil was trailing in Indapur.
Owning moral responsibility for the rout, state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre resigned. œPeople have given us a mandate to play the role of opposition, and we will be a constructive opposition, he said.
With BJP certain be the winner but failing to secure a majority on its own, its leaders including state party chief Devendra Fadnavis have said the the chief minister's post will go to the party. œPeople have given us the responsibility and we will do whatever is needed to fulfil that responsibility. The government will be lead by us, BJP MP from Mumbai Kirit Somaiya told a press conference.
There has been speculation that Shiv Sena could demand chief ministership as a condition for the reunion with BJP to form government despite the latter emerging as the largest party.However, the estranged former allies appeared willing to bury the hatchet.
œOnce they (BJP) submit a proposal for a stable government in the interest of Maharashtra, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will take a decision, whatever that may be, after considering all factors, Sena MP Anil Desai said.
œWe have no bitterness. If there is a proposal, we will consider it, Desai, who was part of the failed seat-sharing talks with BJP ahead of the Assembly poll, said. Mr. Desai also said that barring the current election, the two parties have been together œthrough thick and thin".
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, when asked about the two parties coming together, said Shiv Sena representative in the Union Cabinet Anant Geete continued to hold his post. œOnly we were not able to come to terms in the number of seats (each party will contest), he said.
œShiv Sena has never been our political opponent. We have never said anything against them, we never criticised them in our campaign, Mr. Fadnavis said as trends showed BJP will have to look for allies to form the first-ever government led by the party in Maharashtra but remained non-committal on whether it will seek Sena's support.
There appeared to exist conflicting views on whether BJP should approach the Sena and seek its support for government formation.Asked if BJP, having emerged the largest party, will show magnanimity in extending the olive branch to the Sena, Mr. Goyal said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always shown magnanimity, never criticised Shiv Sena (during the campaign).
However, BJP's observer for the poll Om Mathur, struck a tough posture, saying, We are the bigger party, why should we make a call (to Sena), we will get a call. Mr. Fadnavis said BJP's central Parliamentary Board is meeting in Delhi this evening to decide on government formation.
NCP to support BJP
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said Sunday it will offer legislative support to a BJP government in Maharashtra.
Speaking after the election results produced a hung assembly, NCP leader Praful Patel said his party was ready to offer "outside support" to a Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state.
BJP leads in Maharashtra, reaches out to Sena
Mumbai, Oct 19: The BJP Sunday indicated it was ready to reach out to its estranged ally Shiv Sena as it led in about 120 seats but seemed to be falling short of a majority in the Maharashtra assembly.
"We have not held any discussion with the Sena," Fadnavis told the media, as his party and three smaller allies led in some 120 seats, his own party count being 108.
"But if the need arises, we expect our friends to support us," he added.
The BJP had hoped to take power on its own in Maharashtra, one of the country's biggest states, for the first time after ending its 25-year-old alliance with the Sena.
One reason this did not happen is because the Sena, which campaigned aggressively against the BJP and on a strong Marathi platform, was on the winning track in 57 seats.
As the vote count continued, Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut said: "Whatever happens, the chief minister will be from our party. We will make our stand clear today evening."
At the same time, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which took broke their alliance just before the polls, ended up taking the lead in 48 and 50 seats respectively -- better than expected.
Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, however, cut a sorry figure. It was ahead in just six seats, and independents and other smaller parties -- including BJP's three allies -- in 12 places.
Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai told CNN-IBN television that the acrimony between his party and the BJP was history.
"The war between the Sena and the BJP is over," he said. But it wasn't clear if this reflected the views of the Sena leadership which had spoken virulently against Prime Minister Narenddra Modi during the campaign.
Fadnavis referred to this, saying the BJP had never regarded the Shiv Sena as its political foe.
"But the way they targeted us during the election campaign and in particular Narendra Modi, we are deeply hurt," he said earlier in the day. "As of now we are not thinking of any alliance (with the Sena)."
Asked if he could be the next chief minister, Fadnavis said he was only the state party chief and the BJP Parliamentary Board would take the final decision on the subject.
An early major loser was Congress veteran Narayan Rane, who lost in Kudal constituency. The first winner was Madhuri Misal of the BJP. She was declared elected from Parvatti in Pune district.
A peeved NCP blamed the Congress for the impending rout.
"It all happened because of Chavan," NCP's Nawab Malik told the media, referring to former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan of the Congress.
"He had no understanding of the issues in Maharashtra, he did not take the right decisions, and he didn't act when he had to. He is responsible for the state of both the Congress and the NCP," Malik said.
The NCP and Congress have been in power in Mahrashtra for 15 long years. The coalition came apart Sep 25, just three weeks before the Oct 15 polls, leading to President's Rule in the state.
Officials Sunday morning began counting the millions of votes cast in the assembly elections. In the fray were 4,119 candidates.
We will form government in Maharashtra: BJP
Mumbai, Oct 19: The BJP said Sunday that it was confident of forming a government in Maharashtra -- for the first time.
His comments came as the BJP and its smaller allies were on the winning track in more than 120 seats as officials counted the millions of votes cast in the Oct 15 assembly elections.
Asked if the BJP would shake hands with its former ally Shiv Sena, Fadnavis indicated it might not.
He said the BJP had never regarded the Shiv Sena as its political foe.
"But the way they targeted us during the election campaign and in particular (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, we are deeply hurt.
"As of now we are not thinking of any alliance (with the Shiv Sena)."
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