With trends of Assembly poll results in Maharashtra showing the BJP falling short of the halfway-mark on its own, its ally and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said it was time to implement “fifty-fifty” formula for power-sharing, decided on earlier.
The BJP and Shiv Sena together were heading for a majority as the counting was going on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference, when asked about which party will get the chief minister’s post, Mr. Thackeray said, “It is time to remind the BJP about the formula arrived at when BJP chief Amit Shah visited my home....we had decided on 50:50 formula for the alliance.”
Describing the mandate as an “eye-opener for many”, Mr. Thackeray said the people of the state had kept democracy alive.
“We had agreed to contest fewer seats (than the BJP), but I cannot accommodate the BJP every time. I should allow my party to grow,” Mr. Thackeray said, indicating that he would drive a hard bargain.
