New Maharashtra government likely next week

The new BJP government in Maharashtra is likely to be sworn in on October 29 or 30, party sources said in Mumbai on Saturday.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP’s central observer for election of the legislature party leader, is expected to arrive in Mumbai on Monday and election is likely to take place the next day, a top BJP leader said in Mumbai in an informal interaction with journalists.

Back channel talks were said to be on between the BJP and estranged former ally Shiv Sena for forming a coalition government.

The BJP, which has emerged as the single largest party in the 288-member Assembly with 122 seats, has already been offered outside support by the 41-member strong NCP.

With its 63 MLAs, the Sena is the second largest party in the House.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha leader Mahadev Jankar, whose party is a pre-poll ally of the BJP and has one MLA, said his party is not in favour of any tie-up with the NCP.

“We want the new government to come to power without the backing of NCP or Congress against whom BJP fought the poll and highlighted their corruption,” Mr. Jankar said after meeting State BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis, who continues to be the frontrunner for the post, though there are some more names doing the rounds. .

Mr. Jankar said his party wanted representation in the new Ministry.

-PTI