Will soon leave wait and watch mode: Shiv Sena's warning to BJP over President's rule remark in Maharashtra

"Shiv Sena will soon drop wait and watch mode," Sanjay Raut stated. He also added that the President is the Constitutional head of the country and any attempts by the BJP to misuse the office of President is "a threat to the country".

New Delhi: As the uncertainty over government formation in Maharashtra continues to linger on, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack on its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a party leader call for President's rule in the state. Raut said that the statement comes as an "insult" to the public mandate and warned that Shiv Sena will drop its "wait and watch mode" now. 

"Shiv Sena will soon drop wait and watch mode," Raut stated. He also added that the President is the Constitutional head of the country and any attempts by the BJP to misuse the office of President is "a threat to the country".

"Issuing such a threat is an insult to the public mandate," he said. 

On Friday, BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that Maharashtra may head for President's rule if the new government is not formed by November 7.

Shiv Sena and BJP are locked in a bitter power tussle over seat-sharing even a week after the election results were announced and this has delayed the formation of government in Maharashtra. 

On his meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar earlier this week, Raut said that considering the political scenario in Maharashtra, all other parties are speaking to each other except Shiv Sena and the BJP. 

"The kind of situation that is prevailing in Maharashtra, all political parties are talking to each other, except Shiv Sena & BJP," Raut said on Saturday on his meeting with Pawar.

After the meeting, the Shiv Sena leader had stated that he met Pawar to wish him on Diwali, but they also had a discussion on Maharashtra politics. 

The delay in government formation in Maharashtra is basically due to the tiff between the two parties after Shiv Sena demanded 50:50 seat-sharing formula in the state, under which their CM-elect will head the state for 2.5 years. The BJP, however, is not ready to consider the demand. 

BJP, on the other hand, has declared that Devendra Fadnavis will be Maharashtra CM for the next five years, but the government will be in alliance with Shiv Sena.