Does Yuti have moral right to form govt if Sena fears poaching

Mumbai: The Congress on Thursday questioned the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance’s “moral right” to form government in Maharashtra if the Sena apprehends poaching of its MLAs by its senior ally.

The Nationalist Congress Party, the other prominent opposition party, claimed that MLAs were being approached with inducements for switching camps.

“Shiv Sena is alliance partner of BJP and part of Maha-yuti (grand alliance). If it is afraid that BJP will poach its MLAs, then we can very well understand how much morally corrupt the BJP is, and why we must save Maharashtra from them,” said state Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant.

“Does Mahayuti have the moral right to form government now?” Sawant tweeted.

He was apparently referring to the Sena’s decision to shift its legislators to Rangsharda Hotel in suburban Bandra amid the political uncertainty.

The saffron allies contested the October 21 state Assembly polls together along with smaller allies. However, despite winning a comfortable majority, the two parties are now warring over the chief minister’s post.

Some independent leaders who are close to the BJP had claimed that a section of Shiv Sena MLAs were in touch with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Congress’s national spokesperson Sanjay Jha said resorts in tourist spots near Mumbai such as Khandala and Matheran may soon get booked (for shifting MLAs there to guard them from poaching attempts).

“But given the money they have, the BJP should also consider Maldives, Bahamas, Bermuda and Pattaya,” he quipped.

Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil claimed, without naming any party, that some MLAs were being offered inducements to cross over.

“Some MLAs are being lured now. But in case anyone defects (to the BJP), other parties will come together and defeat him/her (in bypoll),” Patil told reporters here.

NCP MLAs were not being targeted, he added.

“Those who wanted to switch sides, left before the election. Those elected (on NCP tickets) have people’s faith in them and we are ready to sit in the opposition,” he said.

Patil also said that the Shiv Sena had not approached the NCP seeking support to form government. “Nor we have had any discussion within the NCP on supporting Sena,” he added.

If the BJP agreed to the Sena’s demand of sharing the chief minister’s post on rotation and equal sharing of other ministerial berths, there will be no question of President’s rule in the state, the NCP leader said.