Would ensure next Maharashtra CM is from our party: Shiv Sena
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena, which is an ally of the BJP-led Maharashtra government, has said the next chief minister of the state will be from Uddhav Thackeray's party.
The Sena made the claim in its mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Wednesday, the day when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended its foundation day function here.
It said even though it has a tie-up with the BJP, the "Shiv Sena is an independent political entity".
"We have to resolve to turn the next Vidhan Sabha 'saffron' and ensure that a Shiv Sena chief minister will be seated on the dais at the party's 54th foundation day next year," the Marathi daily said.
Taking stock of its 53-year-old history, the publication said the Shiv Sena's soul is its 'movement' - be it for Hindu pride, Marathi "asmita" (identity) or rights of sons of the soil.
Terming Thackeray as his "elder brother", Fadnavis during the function on Wednesday said the BJP-Sena alliance will have a thumping victory in the coming state Assembly polls, and that the issue of who will become chief minister and who will become deputy chief minister was secondary.
Last week, when state Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's claimed that the next chief minister would be from the BJP, Yuva Sena secretary Varun Sardesai said the post will be rotated between the two allies.
Indicating that the Sena would drive a hard bargain before agreeing for an electoral tie-up, Sardesai claimed both the parties will share the chief minister's post for 2.5 years each.
Sardesai, a cousin of Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, also tweeted that BJP president Amit Shah had "approved" the decision to have rotational chief ministership between the saffron outfits.
Another Sena leader earlier said Fadnavis declared on February 19 that both the parties would share "responsibilities" and also the number of seats for the Vidhan Sabha polls.
Interestingly, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said in February that the next chief minister of Maharashtra would be from his party.
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Parameshwara rules out internal differences in Congress in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Ruling out any internal differences in the ruling Congress in Karnataka, senior party leader and Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said there may be certain minor differences of opinion, but there are no major issues or confusions within.
He also said that his absence in Delhi where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and several senior Ministers are camping and plan to meet party high command, is not because of any disgruntlement. Even though he agreed he was not invited to Karnataka Bhavan inauguration in Delhi, he said it is not too important to attend it.
"Where is the internal difference? I myself don't know. You (media) may be creating certain things and speaking. There is no difference among us. Congress is in power and we are running the administration and are implementing programmes," Parameshwara said.
Responding to a question whether there will be an end to internal differences in the Congress with the Chief Minister meeting party senior leader Rahul Gandhi and other central leaders in Delhi, he further said, "There may be minor difference of opinion, it will naturally be there, but it cannot be called an issue or confusion."
CM Siddaramaiah met Rahul Gandhi early on Thursday.
The meeting is seen as a significant one in the backdrop of power tussle in the ruling Congress and speculations about the change in Chief Minister's post later this year. Shivakumar and Parameshwara are seen as the major contenders for the post.
Party sources said that issues like demand to replace Shivakumar from the post of state congress chief, honey-trap attempts as alleged by Minister K N Rajanna might have taken up for discussion as well.
Responding to a question on speculations within the party including the one about changing state Congress President, Parameshwara, who held the post in the past said, "Some want change, some want the same person to continue. It was the same thing when I held the post and when my first term ended, high command called all the state leaders and spoke to them, and then I was asked to continue."
Deputy CM Shivakumar is currently on an extension in the KPCC President post.
Asked whether his opinion has been sought by AICC regarding the developments in the state unit and nominations for vacant MLC posts, the Home Minister said, no one has sought any opinion and there has been no discussion in this regard.
"My opinion is not important, with the passage of time things keep changing. With the flow of fresh water, old water has to flow forward. You interpret however you want," he said when reporters tried to elicit his response on whether his opinion is being considered by the party while making decisions.
Parameshwara said he was not invited for the inauguration of the reconstructed Karnataka Bhavan building -1 'Cauvery' on Wednesday evening, but ruled out any disgruntlement.
Noting that he was the one who had laid the foundation for the Karnataka Bhavan, as the then Deputy Chief Minister, he said, "I don't know, no one has invited me. How to go to the event in Delhi without any invite? So I did not go..."
He however also said that he did not find the event to be that important for him to attend. "Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and PWD Minister were already there and I don't feel that I too should be there. I felt it was not necessary to attend."
Rejecting any difference with Shivakumar as the reason for skipping the event in Delhi and Siddaganga Math event in Tumakuru, he said, "I can even now go to his house immediately if needed. We don't have any such things, we are very good friends."
