'Strange Bond': Maharashtra BJP Minister Breaks Into Song, Not Argument Over Sharing Chief Ministership

Mumbai: With the Shiv Sena still playing hardball on sharing power in Maharashtra, a BJP minister on Wednesday recited the opening lines of a popular Hindi film song to highlight the "strange bond" between the two parties.

Finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) of BJP, Sena and other parties will form the next government in the state.

"Tere mere beech mein, kaisa hai yeh bandhan anjaana, maine nahi jaana, tune nahi jaana (What kind of strange bond is this between us, I don't know about it, you don't know about it)," Mungantiwar said, reciting the opening lines of a song from the 1981 Hindi romantic tragedy Ek Duuje Ke Liye.

"People across the state have voted for development and progress. We need to understand this mandate given by the people," he said. Come what may, the Mahayuti of BJP, Sena and other parties will form the next government in the state, he added.

The Sena has been unrelenting so far on its demand for rotation of the CM's post between the two allies.

BJP MLAs met to elect Devendra Fadnavis as their leader, a formality before he is sworn in as Chief Minister for the second time.

"There should be no speculation. We had said the government will be formed by the Mahayuti," Fadnavis said after the election.

There was talk that the BJP may offer the Deputy CM's post and more portfolios in Maharashtra and at the Centre to the bickering ally but these won't include top portfolios like Home, Finance and Revenue.

The BJP and Sena are locked in a tug-of-war over rotational chief ministership. The Sena is pushing for a commitment - that too, in writing - that it would get the post of chief minister for half the term under the 50-50 formula.

The BJP has been opposed to the proposal. The Sena has claimed that the BJP is reneging on its promise of equal partnership made before the Lok Sabha polls. The Sena camp points to a February Press conference in which Fadnavis said, "We have decided equal sharing of posts and responsibilities once we come to power again."

Fadnavis has said the Shiv Sena was not promised rotational chief ministership.