BJP’s massive mandate delaying govt formation

Mumbai: Contrary to popular perception that the clear majority to Mahayuti has made the way for government formation in Maharashtra easy, the huge mandate to the BJP is actually delaying the process of government formation in the state.

DCM Devendra Fadnavis left for Delhi on Monday where he is likely to have a meeting with union home minister Amit Shah and the detailed program of government formation is likely to be chalked out. However, the key procedures like election of state BJP legislature party leader are yet to be taken place and hence, even if the nitty-gritties of government formation are finalized tonight it will take at least two more days to complete the mandatory procedures.

The biggest hurdle in government formation as of now is the power sharing formula. When the Mahayuti government came to power in the state in 2022, the BJP shared power equally with the Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde. Though they were almost twice the strength of Shiv Sena in the house, the number of ministerial posts shared between the two parties were equal. In 2023, when NCP under Ajit Pawar joined in, the power sharing formula didn’t change and all the three parties had equal number of ministerial berths in the government.

The BJP had accepted the equal sharing of power with the allies to be able to form the government and keep it running back then. However, the massive mandate of 132 seats to BJP has changed all equations now. State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule hinted at a possibility, on Monday, when he warned Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT) that if they continue to target Devendra Fadnavis their strength shall further reduce to 2 from the current 20. This is also being interpreted as a veiled warning to the Mahayuti allies that if the power sharing formula is not agreed to, the BJP can once again go in for generating split within opposition parties and attain simple majority easily.

While senior state BJP office bearers, including Bawankule, have been saying that they see no problem in formation of the government, they were not forthcoming on explaining the exact reasons behind the delay in government formation. The Shiv Sena and the NCP have conducted the meetings of the newly elected MLAs and chosen their respective legislature party leaders. However, the BJP seems to be in no hurry to even decide upon the date of such a meeting. Bawankule has announced party's new target of having 1.5 crore new members and has even started mobilizing party apparatus for that by planning extensive meetings of district heads and the 'vistarak's that were sent out to 130 assembly constituencies. However, he hasn't yet announced the date for legislature party meeting. When asked about it, he said, "What is the need to hurry. We are firmly in the saddle. We have numbers on our side. No other party will be able to form government in the state and hence we are taking our time to do so."

Party insiders, however, suggested that the whole power sharing formula is being re-drawn. Apart from the ministerial posts, posts of guardian ministers and existing state-owned corporations, the formula to share local bodies and over a couple of dozen new corporations that were announced just prior to elections too are being considered while devising the new power sharing formula.

In the past two and half years of the government under Eknath Shinde, the Mahayuti had witnessed bitter fights over guardian ministership and other posts. Hence every possibility is being considered before finalizing the formula, sources said.