New Delhi:
The process of Maharashtra government formation will begin in next two days and Shiv Sena will get the Chief Minister’s post for five years - Sanjay Raut made these key announcements while addressing media in Mumbai on Friday. The first announcement hold indicate that as opposed to all buzz, the NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena will not be staking claim to form government in Maharashtra on Friday. Till Thursday evening, there were rumours in the political corridors that all three parties will meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and the swearing-in ceremony will be held as early as Sunday or Monday.
However, Raut made it clear that the ‘process’ will take another 48 hours. One more big announcement was that of the name of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Raut said that, “we all want Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister.” This also contradicts some reports that had said that some members of Shiv Sena want Raut to be the Chief Minister. Top leaders of the NCP and the Congress have also told News Nation that only Uddhav Thackeray will be the Chief Minister.
Another key detail that Raut told the media was the Shiv Sena will have the post of Chief Minister for full 5 year-term. This statement once again falsify the buzz over rotational CM agreement between NCP-Congress and Shiv Sena.
He also added that Shiv Sena won't side with the BJP even if offered Lord Indra's throne. "The time for offers has ended," Raut said, when asked about reports that the BJP had agreed to share the CM's post with the Sena. "People of Maharashtra want Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to become the CM," he said.
Asked if the three non-BJP parties would meet the state governor on Friday itself, Raut quipped, "Why meet the governor when the President's rule is in place".
