Devendra Fadnavis is said to be the frontrunner for the post of chief minister. (Press Trust of India)
New Delhi:
Newly-elected BJP law-makers of Maharashtra will meet in Mumbai on Tuesday to choose their Legislature Party leader, moving ahead with the process of forming government even as talks were on for a tie-up with estranged ally Shiv Sena.
The BJP will hold the swearing-in of a minority government on October 31. The ceremony will be held at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium and it will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Tuesday, the 122 party MLAs will meet at 4 pm, party sources said in Delhi. The leader of the Legislature Party becomes the chief minister. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior party leader J P Nadda, who have been nominated as central observers, will oversee the election process, sources said.
The BJP had averted a row over the chief minister's post - both Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and state party chief Devendra Fadnavis appeared to be in the running - with a Diwali Milan between the two. Later, Mr Gadkari underscored that he was not in the race and did not wish to return to state politics. But party sources had indicated that before naming the chief minister, the BJP wished to settle the alliance question.
The election of the Legislature Party leader will mark a step towards formation of the government in the state where BJP fell short of majority by 22 seats in the 288-member Assembly.
BJP sources were tight-lipped about the likelihood of an alliance with Shiv Sena, saying nothing concrete has emerged yet.
Sena has softened its stand against BJP with an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna on Monday saying that the party was ready to back any BJP chief minister.
BJP leaders have described Sena as their "natural" partner pointing out its member Ananth Geete remains a member of Union Cabinet.
State party president Devendra Fadnavis is said to be frontrunner for the post of the Chief Minister but some other names, including those of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, have been doing the rounds.
The BJP will hold the swearing-in of a minority government on October 31. The ceremony will be held at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium and it will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Tuesday, the 122 party MLAs will meet at 4 pm, party sources said in Delhi. The leader of the Legislature Party becomes the chief minister. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior party leader J P Nadda, who have been nominated as central observers, will oversee the election process, sources said.
The BJP had averted a row over the chief minister's post - both Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and state party chief Devendra Fadnavis appeared to be in the running - with a Diwali Milan between the two. Later, Mr Gadkari underscored that he was not in the race and did not wish to return to state politics. But party sources had indicated that before naming the chief minister, the BJP wished to settle the alliance question.
The election of the Legislature Party leader will mark a step towards formation of the government in the state where BJP fell short of majority by 22 seats in the 288-member Assembly.
BJP sources were tight-lipped about the likelihood of an alliance with Shiv Sena, saying nothing concrete has emerged yet.
Sena has softened its stand against BJP with an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna on Monday saying that the party was ready to back any BJP chief minister.
BJP leaders have described Sena as their "natural" partner pointing out its member Ananth Geete remains a member of Union Cabinet.
State party president Devendra Fadnavis is said to be frontrunner for the post of the Chief Minister but some other names, including those of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, have been doing the rounds.
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