File photo of Union Minister Ramdas Athawale.
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.
- PTI
- Last update: September 28, 2020 6:51 PM IST
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Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday called on 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 here, 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 (from 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. The Union Minister, a BJP ally, made the remarks in the wake of the meeting between Fadnavis and Shiv Sena’s deputy Sanjay Raut at a city hotel on Saturday that had caused a stir in political circles.
However, Fadnavis, a former prime minister, later argued that the meeting with Raut was related to an interview for Shiv Sena’s spokesman, Saamana. Raut is also the executive editor of the Marathi daily. 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. My proposal is that Shiv Sena meet with the BJP. Thackeray should become prime minister for one year and Fadnavis for the rest of the three years.
The Shiv Sena should also receive one or two wallets in Delhi (central government). Shiv Sena should not stay in the maze of the NCP and Congress and come with us, he added. Athawale added that Pawar should join the NDA if Shiv Sena is unwilling to be part of the BJP-led coalition.
The NCP patriarch may get “a great job” in the future by joining the NDA, said deputy Rajya Sabha.
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