Shiv Sena compares BJP to Hitler as Aaditya Thackeray meets party MLAs at Mumbai hotel

As the stalemate over Maharashtra government formation continues, the Shiv Sena on Sunday compared the Bharatiya Janata Party to the infamous German authoritarian ruler Adolf Hitler and claimed that "Maharashtra was not a slave of Delhi".

Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece Saamana, once again reiterated that Maharashtra does not want a BJP chief minister and the party is not ready for talks with caretaker CM Devendra Fadnavis. "Shiv Sena is not ready for talks with outgoing CM Fadnavis. This is their defeat."

The Shiv Sena claimed that PM Modi gave blessings to Devendra Fadnavis to be CM soon after the state assembly election results were announced. "Yet after 15 days, he [Fadnavis] has not taken oath as Home Minister Amit Shah was uninvolved in state affairs," Sena said in its editorial.

Calling for a minority government in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena ruled out the possibility of backing Devendra Fadnavis as the CM.

"BJP did not get clear mandate even after scare tactics and the agencies should work independently now," Shiv Sena said.

The Saamana editorial, written by Sena MP Sanjay Raut, said party chief Uddhav Thackeray will decide who the chief ministerial candidate will be this time, adding that NCP president Sharad Pawar's role in the scenario will be "crucial".

"Uddhav Thackeray to decide who will be CM. Sharad Pawar's role to be crucial as Maharashtra does not want a BJP CM this time," Shiv Sena said.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray met party MLAs lodged in The Retreat Hotel in Mumbai's Malad on late Saturday night.

Sources told India Today TV that the meeting between Shiv Sena MLAs and Aaditya Thackeray went on till 5 am in the morning. "Aaditya Thackeray stayed back at the resort with the MLAs," sources said.

Earlier, the Shiv Sena shifted its pack of MLAs to hotels to prevent any poaching attempts.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR

With the Shiv Sena and BJP locked in a power tussle over the issue of the chief minister's post, the Maharashtra Governor on Saturday invited the BJP to form the government. BJP and Shiv Sena fought Maharashtra elections in alliance with each other.

Earlier on November 8, Devendra Fadnavis resigned as the chief minister of Maharashtra and said there were no talks of sharing the chief minister's post in his presence.

Devendra Fadnavis said while the elections were fought by the two parties -- BJP and Shiv Sena -- as allies, Sena's sudden change of stand after the results "came as a shock".

"Maharashtra gave us a great mandate during Lok Sabha elections and even in assembly, we faced the elections as allies. Mahayuti (grand alliance) got a clear mandate. We won more than 160 eats and BJP emerged as the single largest party with 105 seats," said Devendra Fadnavis.

"Uddhav Thackeray on the day of results made it clear that they have their options open and this was a shock for us," Devendra Fadnavis said.

The BJP won 105 seats in the October 21 elections, while the majority mark in the 288-member Assembly is 145.

The Sena, its ally, won 56 seats, but the two parties are bickering over the chief minister's post even as the current assembly session came to an end on November 9.

(With inputs from Ejaj and Divyesh Singh)