BJP, Sena had consensus before polls on CM's post: Raut

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday claimed there was a "consensus" between the BJP and his party before the Maharashtra Assembly elections on sharing the chief minister's post. Amid the stalemate continuing over government formation in the state, Raut told reporters here that no fresh proposal has been received from the BJP or sent to it.

To a question on when there would be a consensus on the chief minister's post, the Rajya Sabha member said, "There was a consensus on the post before elections." Ruling out any new proposal for government formation, Raut reiterated that the Shiv Sena expects the implementation of what was decided and agreed upon before the elections. "Why waste time on new proposals. We want a discussion on what was agreed upon earlier. No new proposal has been received or sent," he said.

On the possibility of imposition of President's rule in the state, Raut said, "We will not be responsible for it. Those conspiring to do this are insulting the people's mandate." The BJP and the Shiv Sena are locked in a bitter tussle over sharing of the chief minister's post and ministerial portfolios in new government, even 13 days after the Assembly poll verdict handed them enough seats to cobble up a coalition government.

They won 161 seats together in the 288-member House, much above the halfway mark of 145.