Maharashtra| 'Shiv Sena tie-up with NCP-Cong against Balasaheb's ideals': Ramdas Athawale

Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on November 19, took a jibe at the Shiv Sena's bid to form a government in Maharashtra in an alliance with Congress and NCP. He said it will be an "unnatural government and against the ideals of Balasaheb Thackeray. If a government is formed with the support of Congress and NCP, it will be an unnatural government. This will go against the ideals of Balasaheb Thackeray," Athawale told news agency ANI.

'Position of Congress and NCP are not clear yet'

Athawale also expressed uncertainty on Shiv Sena's claim to form a government in the state with the support of 170 MLAs. "I am not sure how successful Shiv Sena's claims of forming a government are going to be. The position of Congress and NCP are not clear yet. They have to support Sena's claim to form government openly," Athawale said. "Congress party knows that if they support Shiv Sena they will bear a great loss. This is why the Congress party is taking time to make a decision," he added.

Athawale's new power-sharing formula

The RPI Chief also said that he spoke to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut about negotiating a new power-sharing formula. "BJP and Shiv Sena should form the government in Maharashtra and can have their chief minister for three years and two years respectively. I talked to Sanjay Raut on the matter on Monday. He asked to talk to the BJP on the same," the Union Minister said. However, Raut slammed Athawale earlier today saying: "he should not worry about Shiv Sena."

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Political crisis in Maharashtra 

After the assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance partners - BJP and Shiv Sena had a fallout over the Chief Minister's position in the state. Uddhav Thackray led Shiv Sena said that the chief minister's position should be equally divided between the parties as per the 50:50 formula. However, BJP leader and former CM Devendra Fadnavis denied any such formula. Both parties are now eyeing to form the next government separately in Maharashtra -which is currently under President's rule. While the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress is still in talks to finalise the Common Minimum Programme to form an alliance, the BJP has vowed that it will form the next government. The Mahayuti alliance swept Maharashtra on October 24, winning a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56)

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(With ANI inputs)