Devendra Fadnavis and Sanjay Raut.
Both parties had denied it so far, and Fadnavis said the meeting was related to an interview for Shiv Sena’s spokesperson ‘Saamana’. Raut is also the executive editor of the Marathi daily.
- News18.com
- Last update: September 29, 2020 8:36 AM IST
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Maharashtra BJP Chandrakant Patil accepted on Tuesday that talks between former CM Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut at a city hotel three days ago were in fact “political”. Both parties had denied it so far, and Fadnavis said the meeting was related to an interview for Shiv Sena’s spokesperson ‘Saamana’. Raut is also the executive editor of the Marathi daily.
“The meeting on Saturday between Fadnavis and Raut was political but nothing was achieved. The situation in the state is serious and my analysis is that it is time for re-election. The three parties cannot run the government together,” said Patil. CNN-News18.
Long-time allies Shiv Sena and the BJP had broken ties after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections by sharing the top ministerial position for two and a half years on a rotating basis.
The Shiv Sena had then joined forces with its ideological rivals NCP and Congress and formed the current government of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with Thackeray at the helm in November last year.
A day ago, BJP ally and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale had asked Shiv Sena to meet with the BJP to form a government in Maharashtra and also suggested a formula for sharing power between the two saffron parties. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Athawale said that Shiv Sena Chairman Uddhav Thackeray should remain prime minister for one year and then the coveted post should go to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis for the remaining three years ( of the current mandate of the assembly).
Athawale also said that the head of the NCP, Sharad Pawar, should join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in case Shiv Sena does not forge ties with the BJP.
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