BJP not ready to discuss sharing of CM's post: Girish Mahajan

BJP leader Girish Mahajan on Tuesday said the party was not ready to discuss sharing of the Maharashtra chief minister's post with the ally Shiv Sena, and Devendra Fadnavis will become the next CM. Mahajan, a senior minister in the outgoing state cabinet, also rejected Sena's demand of a `written assurance' before talks for government formation started.

"We have decided that Devendra Fadnavis would be the chief minister for the next five years. BJP is ready to hold talks with Sena over other portfolios," he said. "We are not India and Pakistan for the talks to be held amid such animosity. Leaders of both the parties can meet and work out the power-sharing formula. There is no point in demanding such things in writing," the BJP leader said about Sena's demand of written assurance.

Mahajan also expressed hope that a breakthrough will be found in the next two days. On Sena leader Sanjay Raut's relentless attacks on the BJP amid the stand-off between the saffron allies, he said, "We certainly do not like his comments." The BJP and Sena are locked in a bitter tussle over the chief minister's post, resulting in a stalemate despite results of the Assembly polls giving the alliance a combined seat strength of 161, way past the 145 majority mark..