BJP won't bow down, ready to form government in Maharashtra with or without Shiv Sena under plan B

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won't bow down before Shiv Sena, who has demanded to form a coalition government in Maharashtra on 50-50 seat-sharing formula. The BJP is ready to form the government with or without an alliance with Shiv Sena. 

Sources on Tuesday said that BJP likely to elect its legislative party leader on October 30 soon after which, they will meet Governor BS Koshyari to stake claim to form the government. BJP will take the help of smaller parties and independents in forming the government. The party will present a list of its MLAs and other winning candidates who are helping it in front of the Governor to seek an invitation to form the government.  

If BJP's plan B works, incumbent Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with other leaders will take oath on October 31. 

The BJP then plans to hold talks with Shiv Sena again after the governor gives the party time to prove majority. Even then if Shiv Sena doesn't agree, Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) comes to play. BJP is pinning its hope on NCP. If the party somehow decides to boycott the trust vote in the Assembly, it will be easy for the BJP to prove majority. 

If 54 NCP MLAs walkout, the strength of the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly will come down to 234, half of which is 117. Hence, the ruling BJP, which emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 105 seats, can easily prove majority with the help of MLAs from smaller parties or independents. 

BJP claims that it has the support of atleast 15 independent MLAs as of yet.

Furthermore, after BJP proves majority, Shiv Sena will be allowed an entry in the ministry but not on its terms. The 50:50 formula won't be put to action but as a goodwill gesture, the BJP might give the deputy CM's post to Shiv Sena. 

After plan B was chalked out, Home Minister Amit Shah's Mumbai visit was cancelled and instead JP Nadda and Bhupen Yadav are set to travel to the state capital to chair a meeting with party leaders. However, a meeting with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is not on cards. 

The parties haven't met together after the election results were announced. On Monday, Fadnavis and Sena minister Diwakar Raote separately called on Governor BS Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan to convey their Diwali greetings. Fadnavis also said that he has briefed the Governor on the current post-polls political scenario in the state.

Shiv Sena, which won 56 seats in the election, wants 50-50 formula to be implemented in Maharashtra, under which both the allies would get a chance to run the government for 2.5-2.5 years.

Amid the tussle on seat-sharing pact between the two parties, the formation of a new government in Maharashtra has been delayed.