Maharashtra CM should be from BJP: Nitin Gadkari

After meeting Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of BJP's parental organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Gadkari said, "The BJP has won 105 seats. It has emerged as the single largest party. So naturally the Chief Minister should be from our party."

Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already been elected as the party's legislative party leader.

When asked about whether he would like to assume the post, Gadkari, an MP from his home city Nagpur, said, "I am in Delhi. There is no question of coming to Maharashtra."

Also the veteran BJP leader said the RSS has no role in government formation in Maharashtra.

As the deadline to form the new government is knocking on the door, the BJP is scheduled to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday while the chief of its bitter ally Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray, called all his MLAs for a meeting.

All eyes will be on the BJP whether it proposes to form a minority government as the Sena is still adamant on its demand of 50:50 power share in the government and rotational Chief Ministership.

The BJP has so far rejected the Sena's demands.

The Sena's mild push to form a non-BJP government in the state was crushed on Wednesday with the refusal of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to join the BJP's ally.

The Congress, which has 44 seats under its belt, has also distanced itself from the Sena which has won 56 seats in the polls.

The Sena was looking to cobble up the required number by adding NCP's 54 and Congress' 44.   

The deadline to form the new government is Nov 9.

(Image Credit: Nitin Gadkari Twitter)