Shiv Sena left with no option, has to form govt with BJP: Ramdas Athawale
New Delhi: Shiv Sena has no option but to join hands with BJP to form government in Maharashtra under Devendra Fadnavis' leadership, their ally and RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale said on Wednesday, soon after Sharad Pawar asserted that his NCP will work as a "responsible opposition".
The BJP and the Shiv Sena are locked in a tussle over the chief minister's post, resulting in a stalemate in government formation in the state.
Pawar's remarks came this morning after a meeting with senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who has met the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief earlier too.
"There is no option left with the Shiv Sena now than to form government with the BJP under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis," the Republican Party of India (Athawale) leader said.
The impasse remains despite results of the October 24 assembly polls giving the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark in the 288-member House.
The people of Maharashtra have given the mandate to the BJP and the Shiv Sena to form government in alliance, Athawale said, wondering how the Sena can form government with 56 legislators.
"If the Shiv Sena does not come with us then Fadnavis should move forward and stake claim to form government in the state," he told reporters here.
The NCP chief, after his meeting with Raut, asked the BJP and the Shiv Sena to form government in Maharashtra soon, and said his party will work as a "responsible opposition".
On Tuesday, Athawale had said the Sena should not be "adamant" on its demand for the chief minister's post as it rightly belongs to the BJP.
He said he is hopeful that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari would be able to resolve the situation as he enjoys respect across party lines.
The bone of contention is the Sena's demand for the post of chief minister on rotational basis with the BJP and a "50:50 formula" for allocating ministries.
The BJP won 105 seats in the polls followed by ally Sena (56), the NCP (54) and the Congress (44) in Maharsahtra. Athawale had claimed that the BJP is ready for 50:50 allocation of cabinet portfolios and also to give some important ministries to Sena.
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Youngsters should be made aware of UP's condition before 2017: Adityanath
Gorakhpur (UP) (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday urged intellectuals and opinion makers to educate the younger generation about the condition of the state before 2017 and the transformation witnessed in recent years.
Addressing the "Prabuddh Samvad" programme organised by the BJP's Rapti Nagar Mandal at a marriage hall in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said youngsters must be made aware of the "era of riots, curfews, lawlessness and appeasement politics", so that such a situation does not return.
He said many youngsters today were too young to understand the condition of Uttar Pradesh 10 years ago. "If we do not tell the present generation what the state faced earlier, they will forget the consequences of misgovernance and appeasement politics," he said.
The chief minister alleged that before 2017, the state suffered from "goondaism, corruption, anarchy and exploitation by regional parties". He claimed that traders were forced to pay the "goonda tax", women felt unsafe and employment opportunities were limited, forcing many to migrate.
Highlighting the changes under the present government, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh now offers development, security and employment opportunities.
Referring to Gorakhpur, he said the fertiliser plant has resumed operations, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is functioning smoothly and the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College has improved healthcare services.
The chief minister added that industrial projects worth Rs 15,000 crore have generated jobs for nearly 50,000 youngsters in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Adityanath said India has emerged as a global inspiration under his leadership.
Referring to global tensions and rising fuel prices, he appealed to people to conserve fuel and adopt alternatives, such as solar energy, public transport, electric vehicles and carpooling.
Calling intellectuals the "opinion makers of the society", he said teachers, doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs have a responsibility to guide people in the right direction. He also urged citizens to remain balanced during both favourable and challenging times.
Local MP Ravi Kishan and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Dharmendra Singh also addressed the programme. Mayor Manglesh Srivastava and several BJP leaders, professionals and social workers were present.
