File photo: Uddhav Thackeray
Mumbai:
In comments that are likely to strain the decades-long alliance between the Shiv Sena and the BJP, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut today said, "The next Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be from the Shiv Sena".
He added, "Sainiks want (Shiv Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray to be the Chief Minister".
The Sena-BJP alliance is expected to stage a political comeback in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year.
But with both parties reportedly eyeing the Chief Minister's post, cracks have begun to show in the 25-year-old alliance.
Sena leaders believe that Uddhav should be the contender for the Chief Minister's post. Under the old formula, forged when the alliance formed their first, and till date only, state government in 1995, the top post goes to a leader from the Sena.
But the BJP - which won 23 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra while the Sena won 18 - is reportedly in no mood to relent. Party leaders point out that political dynamics and ground realities have changed in the past decade.
Mr Raut's comments come in the wake of an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna that apparently took a dig at the BJP's aspirations for the top post and the party's likely contender, Gopinath Munde.
Mr Munde is the Rural Development Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet.
"At present, a game is going on in Maharashtra: who will be the Chief Minister? No one can deny the fact that each one is gearing up to become the chief minister," said the editorial.
Mr Raut said, "Munde has been entrusted a huge responsibility at the Centre. And everyone knows that Modi does not remove someone who is working well from his team. Therefore I do not see Munde coming back to Maharashtra."
Equations between the allies have been further complicated by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who will contest the Assembly Elections, possibly as the party's chief ministerial candidate.
Sena workers have since been urging Uddhav to contest the Assembly elections.
Uddhav has said he is "honoured" by their demand, but is yet to announce his final decision.
The Sena-BJP alliance was in power between 1995 and 1999; Sena leader Manohar Joshi was the Chief Minister while Mr Munde was the Deputy Chief Minister.
The BJP had won 65 seats in the 1995 state elections and the Sena had won 73.
He added, "Sainiks want (Shiv Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray to be the Chief Minister".
The Sena-BJP alliance is expected to stage a political comeback in the Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year.
But with both parties reportedly eyeing the Chief Minister's post, cracks have begun to show in the 25-year-old alliance.
Sena leaders believe that Uddhav should be the contender for the Chief Minister's post. Under the old formula, forged when the alliance formed their first, and till date only, state government in 1995, the top post goes to a leader from the Sena.
But the BJP - which won 23 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra while the Sena won 18 - is reportedly in no mood to relent. Party leaders point out that political dynamics and ground realities have changed in the past decade.
Mr Raut's comments come in the wake of an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna that apparently took a dig at the BJP's aspirations for the top post and the party's likely contender, Gopinath Munde.
Mr Munde is the Rural Development Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet.
"At present, a game is going on in Maharashtra: who will be the Chief Minister? No one can deny the fact that each one is gearing up to become the chief minister," said the editorial.
Mr Raut said, "Munde has been entrusted a huge responsibility at the Centre. And everyone knows that Modi does not remove someone who is working well from his team. Therefore I do not see Munde coming back to Maharashtra."
Equations between the allies have been further complicated by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who will contest the Assembly Elections, possibly as the party's chief ministerial candidate.
Sena workers have since been urging Uddhav to contest the Assembly elections.
Uddhav has said he is "honoured" by their demand, but is yet to announce his final decision.
The Sena-BJP alliance was in power between 1995 and 1999; Sena leader Manohar Joshi was the Chief Minister while Mr Munde was the Deputy Chief Minister.
The BJP had won 65 seats in the 1995 state elections and the Sena had won 73.
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