Senior Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut told Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at a meeting on Monday that his party did not want to be a hurdle to government formation, and whoever had the majority should go for it.
Mr. Raut has kept up the pressure on the BJP, through the party’s mouthpiece Saamna (of which he is Executive Editor) and through the media. The Shiv Sena is firm on its demand for rotation of the post of Chief Minister. Mr. Raut met NCP leader Sharad Pawar last week and said the Shiv Sena had the “support” of up to 175 MLAs. In this backdrop, he and senior Sena leader Ramdas Kadam met Mr. Koshyari.
Mr. Raut maintained that it was a courtesy call and not a political one.
“Since we met, the political situation in Maharashtra was discussed. So we also put forth our points. The Governor heard us out patiently. We only wanted to tell him that the government not forming, the political confusion... we are not responsible for it. We want government to be formed and Sena is not obstructing in any government formation. Whoever has majority will make government,” he told mediapersons after the meeting.
Mr. Raut said the meeting went on for about an hour. He also gifted the Governor books written by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Raut tweeted a couplet — which roughly means “Before one reaches his destination, the journey is enjoyable” — along with a picture of him and Mr. Uddhav Thackeray.
Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray was touring rural Nashik on Monday, while Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will be touring Nanded, Latur, Beed and Aurangabad districts on Tuesday.
In an editorial in the Saamna on Monday, the Shiv Sena has said that the ₹10,000 crore compensation declared for affected farmers was too less and the Central government should give at least ₹25,000 crore.
Meanwhile, Sena MP Rahul Shewale on Monday wrote to the Prime Minister and requested that he should inspect the flood-affected areas of the State and declare Maharashtra as a wet drought State. He requested the PM to grant “sumptous unconditional Central Financial Grant to support the people of the State and to direct the State government to take urgent steps with no immediate outline of the rules.”
“We have demanded that the State government at least give ₹25,000 per hectare to farmers right away instead of ₹10,000. Beyond that amount, whatever compensation is required will be given after due process. Rabi crop season will start in a fortnight and farmers need all possible help to clear the farms and sow crops once again,” said Sena MP Anil Desai.
