The stand off between the BJP and Shiv Sena on the latter’s inclusion into the Maharashtra government continued on Saturday, the second day of their talks, but negotiations are expected to be on right track.
A final decision is expected by December 5-6 as the Assembly session is scheduled to commence at Nagpur on December 8. While there was no word from either parties, in a sign of positive intent BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray here. After the meeting, Dr.Swamy said if the two parties came together it would be great for Hindutva and for a stable government. “I will talk to Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari and explain to them that taking along the Sena will ensure a stable government and it will also be a good thing for Hindutva,” he told reporters.
“Uddhav is an old friend. I know him since the time he was a boy,” Dr. Swamy said. Though Dr. Swamy said his visit was a personal one, he reiterated that the BJP should take along the Sena. The BJP maintains silence but is understood to have offered the Sena five cabinet berths and an equal number of Minister of State posts. The BJP has also indicated that it was willing to negotiate on the State run corporations it could offer the Sena. However, the BJP has made it clear that it would not accept any conditions and also ignored the Sena’s demand for the post of Deputy Chief Minister and some other key portfolios in the ministry.
The Sena has been demanding a “respectable share” of portfolios and according to sources is pushing for eight cabinet berths. A day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed his desire to include the Sena into the government, the BJP on Friday formally began talks with the Sena and sent two senior party leaders, Dharmendra Pradhan and Chandrakant Patil, to hold parleys with Mr. Thackeray. Mr. Fadnavis’ cabinet has only 10 Ministers, with many holding multiple charges.
