Will urge Governor to invite single-largest party for govt formation: Sanjay Raut

The Shiv Sena leader’s remarks came hours after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence that his party will form the government in the state. “I am confident of government formation soon in the larger interest of people and Maharashtra,” he had said.

The two allies have been at war ever since the Maharashtra Assembly Elections results were declared on October 24. While the Sena is insistent on the implementation of the ’50-50′ formula, which it claimed was decided prior to the polls, the BJP claims no such deal was signed between the two parties.

Earlier in the day, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said people of Maharashtra will come to know in the coming days whether his party will be in power or not. “You will come to know in the coming days if the Shiv Sena will be in power,” PTI quoted Thackeray as saying in Aurangabad.

Even as the BJP continued to adopt a “wait and watch” approach before making any moves for government formation, the Shiv Sena came up with what it said was the best option and “in the interest of Maharashtra.” The option in the current situation, the party said, was the possibility of Shiv Sena joining hands with Congress, NCP and others to form the government.

“After BJP fails to prove its majority in the House, the Shiv Sena can stake the claim for forming the government. With the help of NCP, Congress and independents, majority figure will go up to 170. Shiv Sena can have its own Chief Minister and will have to show courage to run the government,” Raut said in his column, Rok Thok, published in party mouthpiece, Saamana, today.