Is President in your pocket

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena, which is engaged in a tug of war with ally BJP over government formation in Maharashtra, once again targeted the party on Saturday asking 'is the President in your pocket?'.

This comes a day after a BJP leader warned that if the decision on forming the government was delayed, Central rule would be imposed in the state.

The allies of 30 years, Sena and BJP, have been at loggerheads since assembly election results were announced on October 24. While the BJP and Sena fought the elections together and secured 105 seats and 56 seats respectively, they have been having trouble in coming to an agreement about portfolios and about sharing the Chief Minister post by rotation. The NCP bagged 54 seats and the Congress 44. The halfway mark in the Legislative Assembly is 145.

Sena, through an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, warned the BJP against misuse of power. "The President's Rule threat issued by Sudhir Mungantiwar is undemocratic and unconstitutional… this is an insult to people's mandate," the editorial said.

Mungantiwar, Finance Minister in the outgoing Maharashtra government and BJP leader, had said on Friday that the people of Maharashtra have given mandate not to any party but to the Mahayuti (alliance comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and other parties).

"A new government will have to be in place within the stipulated time, or else the President will have to intervene. President's rule will be imposed if the government formation doesn't happen in the given time," Mungantiwar said.

The Marathi editorial titled "Insult to Maharashtra, Is President in your pocket?" described Mungantiwar's comments "undemocratic and unconstitutional."

"The statement shows the lack of knowledge about the Constitution and the rule of law. This threat might be a move to sidestep the established norms and get things done the way one wants. This statement is an insult to the mandate of the people," the party said.

The two allies have hardened stand on the modalities of government formation. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has been demanding the CM's post for 2.5 years and 50:50 division of portfolios, as the BJP's tally took a beating in the polls.

Both these demands have been rejected by the BJP which has insisted that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will continue to hold the post for the next five years.

Sena has also warned BJP saying that other options are available for their party, hinting at possible NCP, Congress support. Thackeray also spoke to Pawar and Congress held a series of meeting in New Delhi.

The tenure of the current Legislative Assembly ends on November 8.

'Sena will soon leave wait and watch mode'

Shiv Sena on Saturday launched an attack on its ally BJP with whom it is engaged in a power-sharing tussle over Maharashtra government formation and said it will soon drop its "wait and watch mode" after BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's "threat" that president's rule may be imposed if a new state government is not in place by November 7.

"If there is a delay in forming the government in a state and a minister from the ruling party has said that President's rule will be imposed in Maharashtra if the government is not formed, is this a threat to those MLAs who have been elected?"

Raut said during a press conference here. "A minister is repeatedly threatening to impose president's rule. It is being used to intimidate new MLAs in order to garner their support.

If anybody tries to misuse President or governor's house like this it is a threat to democracy," the Sena leader said. "Shiv Sena will soon leave the role of wait and watch," the Sena leader said.