The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun a three-day introspection to assess losses in the just concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. Senior leaders met with all 105 elected MLAs at the party’s head offices in Dadar to discuss the way forward in the current political crisis.
The party also discussed farm/agricultural losses in the State and possibilities of either sitting in the opposition or going for mid-term polls, sources in the party said. “We also discussed the internal organisation structure and how we could help the farmers in the current scenario,” said party leader Ashish Shelar.
Sources said former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also spoke during the meeting and assured the newly elected legislators that BJP would form a government in the state at some point. Mr. Fadnavis, without mentioning Shiv Sena, told the MLAs they should stop worrying about when government would be formed but instead start touring the rain affected regions of the State, the sources added.
The party also invited independent MLAs, who have already offered support to the BJP following the results, for discussions, sources said. The meeting on Thursday continued for over two hours.
Over the next two days leaders are expected to seek opinion from the legislators individually on what they think of the current stalemate with Shiv Sena.
“Another major issue we face now is how will our salaries be paid under the President’s Rule. We also want to understand from the high command why an alliance with the Sena could not be formed,” said a five-term MLA from Vidarbha.
