Maha logjam: 'Our MLAs with us, not in hotel', Sena dismisses report

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday held BJP responsible for the ongoing uncertainty over government formation in Maharashtra and said they were harming the state by doing so.

He also asked that if the people's mandate was for the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance), why was the Bjp not staking claim to form the government, ''Why have you (BJP) returned empty-handed after meeting the governor?".

Raut reiterated that the chief minister would be from the Shiv Sena only.

''There was no change in Sena's stand on government formation; all MLAs support Uddhav Thackeray'', Raut said while addressing a press conference.

Earlier, there were reports that Shiv Sena moved its MLAs to a hotel in Mumbai but Raut dismissed the claims saying that it was a rumour and Shiv Sena legislators were committed to the party and there was no need to do so.

The BJP and the Shiv Sena are engaged in a bitter tug-of-war over the latter's demand for equal distribution of portfolios and sharing the chief minister's post, leading state into a deep political crisis. Till now, no permutation and combination has worked out for the Sena which has even sounded out the Opposition. The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have rejected Sena's indirect overtures.

While the BJP is confident that they will helm another term in power, they have to find a formula immediately before the present Assembly expires on November 8.

If they fail to do so, Maharashtra will see either the President's or the Governor's rule.