Shiv Sena: Prepared to end instability in Maharashtra by assuming role of ‘Neelkanth’

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“After partaking of ambrosia laced with a drop of poison with the Bharatiya Janata Party, we are now prepared to end the instability in Maharashtra by assuming the role of ‘Neelkanth’. To explain that in the language of Hindutva, Chhatrapati Shivaji worshipped Lord Shiva who consumed poison, and the Sena is devoted to Shivaji,” it further said.

Attacking the BJP, the Marathi daily went on to say that the BJP got 15 days to stake claim to form the government, but the Sena got less than 24 hours. “What kind of law is this?” the editorial read.

It added that it was disturbing that the party with 105 MLAs (BJP) was celebrating when the Sena was given 24 hours, knowing that it would take longer for two or three different parties to come together. “Some were celebrating the non-formation of government”, it said.

Criticising Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for recommending the President’s rule, the editorial said that he “belongs to the ruling party, but the expectation is always that he will be independent and follow the rule of Constitutionality and the spirit of law.”

The Shiv Sena on Wednesday said that the party won’t move to the Supreme Court to challenge the Maharashtra Governor’s decision not to grant it more time to demonstrate its majority. Yesterday, the party had moved the apex court over the issue but failed to get an urgent hearing in the matter.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had also hit out at Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over denial of more time to drum up support for government formation in the state. Claiming that the Sena had asked for 48 hours, but the Governor had given them six months, Thackeray said the Congress, the NCP and his party will work out a formula for the formation of the government soon.

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In the recently-concluded Assembly polls, the BJP won 105 seats while its ally Sena won 56 seats. The majority mark in the 288-member Assembly is 145. However, since the poll results were declared on October 24, the political roulette in Maharashtra seems to have no end.

Earlier, the BJP, the single-largest party with 105 seats, and invited first by the Governor, expressed its unwillingness to stake claim for government formation. Shiv Sena, the second-largest party with 56 seats, was invited next, but it could also not show support for its claim by Monday 7.30 pm, the deadline set by Raj Bhavan.