BJP should have agreed to Sena's demand of CM post for two-and-a-half years: Ramdas Athawale
New Delhi, Nov 22: Ramdas Athawale, a BJP ally in Maharashtra and Union minister, on Friday said the saffron party's leadership should have agreed to the Shiv Sena's demand of the chief minister's post for two-and-a-half years so that power would not have slipped out from their hands.
The Republican Party of India (RPI-A) leader's remarks come in the wake of the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena inching towards sealing a deal on forming an alliance government in the state.
The state has been facing a political crisis after the Sena broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post.
"Shiv Sena had repeatedly asked for the chief minister's post for two-and a-half-years, but the BJP said that there had been no such agreement earlier on this and it had 120 MLAs. In such a situation, the Sena has joined hands with the Congress and NCP. With the alliance of the three parties, the door for power has opened for them," Athawale told PTI.
"The BJP delayed things. If they would have accepted the Shiv Sena's proposal and Devendra Fadnavis would have become the chief minister for two-and-a-half years, their friendship would have continued," he said.
But the BJP thought that the Congress will not support the Sena and they would come back to the alliance and did not act, the minister of state for social justice and empowerment said.
Asked if the BJP should have accepted the Sena's demand of having the CM post for two-and-a-half years, Athawale said, "Instead of allowing power to slip out of its hand, if the BJP would have agreed, the Sena would not have left the alliance. If the Sena was not listening, the BJP should have agreed."
The step Uddhav Thackeray has taken is against the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, he said, adding that the Congress also stands to lose.
He also said that it was doubtful if the Sena-NCP-Congress government will last the full five years as they are ideologically different.
"In my personal opinion, the Congress should also ask for the CM post for one-and-a-half years, NCP should also get one-and-a-half years and Sena should get two years," he said.
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Asha Bhosle's last rites to be held with state honours in Mumbai's Shivaji Park
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Mumbai (PTI): The last rites of legendary singer Asha Bhosle will be performed at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Monday afternoon with state honours.
The 92-year-old singer who ruled Bollywood for over seven decades with her wide range of memorable songs passed away on Sunday due to multi-organ failure at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.
Later, her mortal remains were brought to her residence in Lower Parel.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid last respects to Bhosle at her residence on Sunday evening and offered floral tributes.
State Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, along with legislators Sunil Shinde and Prasad Lad, also paid their respects.
"Asha Bhosle will be accorded a state funeral, which will take place at 4 pm on April 13," Shelar said.
The singer's son, Anand, said people can pay their last respects to her at 11 am on Monday at Casa Grande, Lower Parel, where she lived.
"Her last rites will be performed at 4 pm on Monday at Shivaji Park," he told reporters.
Ashatai, as the legendary singer was popularly known, was a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan and Maharashtra Bhushan awards.
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