BJP-Shiv Sena divided over CM candidate for coming assembly polls in Maharashtra

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The BJP and Shiv Sena which together won big in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra are now in dispute over who should lead the campaign in the upcoming state elections. The Shiv Sena has said Uddhav Thackeray will be the nominee for chief minister post but the BJP has made it clear that no name should be announced before a consensus emerges.

Days after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray declared his name as chief ministerial candidate, the Shiv Sena pitched cousin Uddhav’s name for the post. Sanjay Raut, editor of party mouthpiece Saamna, said on Sunday that he would be the Shiv Sena’s candidate for chief minister.

The BJP wants consultations before any name is declared. "We won the elections in Maharashtra with a thumping majority but we must remember that it was an alliance of five parties which contributed to this success. So before projecting any one face all must be consulted," said Union rural development minister Gopinath Munde of the BJP. "Everyone can have their own ideas about who could be the chief ministerial candidate from the Mahayuthi (the name given to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance)," he said. "The only thing that is clear is that the chief ministerial candidate would be from the Mahayuthi itself.

There is a coordination committee which will decide these things. The Mahayuthi now is not just the BJP or the Shiv Sena, it is a five-party alliance, with a working coordination committee in place," he said. Munde said there could be various ways of sharing power. "In some states alliance partners had introduced a formula of keeping the chief minister’s post for half the term, that is two and a half years with each party. We can check if that is possible. Whatever the options, we can consult all parties which are part of the grand alliance in Maharashtra and then take a decision," said the BJP leader.

To be sure, even the BJP has suggested a CM candidate—Munde himself. "I am sure most people will support Gopinath Munde," said Eknath Khadse, leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra assembly.