Mumbai: As the negotiations between the Shiv Sena and BJP commence, sources said the Shiv Sena was likely to join Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s government in Maharashtra and get a third of ministerial berths.
According to a Sena leader, the party had earlier demanded 12 Cabinet berths. However, it is now ready to scale down the demand to 10 berths, in view of the small size of the Fadnavis Cabinet. The BJP is of the view that the number of ministers should not go beyond 32, though its permitted strength is 44.
“While the BJP will have 20 portfolios, we will settle down for 10. The remaining two portfolios will be given to the junior partners,” the Sena leader said. The BJP has accommodated 10 of its leaders in the new government. Thackeray has deputed Sena MP Anil Desai to hold talks regarding the portfolio allocation with the BJP. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is leading the BJP’s talks with the Sena.
A source in the BJP said the Sena’s demand for the post of Deputy Chief Minister was the main sticking point, since the BJP believes that there should not be dual power centres in the government.