Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai. The meeting came amid a standoff over power-sharing between the Shiv Sena and its coalition partner the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra since the October 24 Assembly poll results were declared.

“He is a senior leader of the state and the country,” Raut told ANI. “He is worried about the political situation in Maharashtra today. We had a brief discussion.”

The deadline for the state government’s formation is November 9, when the term of the 13th Assembly ends. If a new government is not formed before it, President’s Rule may be declared in Maharashtra.

Earlier in the day, Raut said there was “a consensus” between his party and the BJP on sharing the chief minister’s post for half of the five-year term, PTI reported. “Why waste time on new proposals?” Raut asked. “We want a discussion on what was agreed upon earlier. No new proposal has been received [from the BJP] or sent.”

Raut said that the Sena would “not be responsible” if President’s Rule is imposed. “Those conspiring to do this are insulting the people’s mandate,” he added.

No party or coalition has staked claim to form the government in the state as the Sena wants the chief minister’s post for half of the five-year tenure and an equal division of Cabinet portfolios. However, the BJP wants Fadnavis to continue as chief minister for the full five-year term.

In the Assembly elections last month, the BJP won only 105 seats, compared to 122 in 2014. The saffron party and the Shiv Sena’s combined tally in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly stands at 161.

On Tuesday night, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. The details of the meeting were kept under wraps, but reports suggested it was about the impasse in the state.

Break ties with NDA for an alternative: NCP to Shiv Sena

The Nationalist Congress Party on Tuesday said that a political alternative could be negotiated in Maharashtra if the Shiv Sena snapped its ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, PTI reported.

“Nothing like it if the BJP gives the Shiv Sena chief minister’s post,” said NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik. “But if the BJP is refusing, an alternative can be given. But the Sena should declare that it is no longer associated with the BJP and NDA.”

Malik criticised BJP leaders for claiming that some MLAs from the Sena were in contact with the saffron party, indicating that they may switch allegiance.

Independent MLA Ravi Rana, who voiced his support to the BJP in the state, had claimed on Monday that “some 25 MLAs” of the Shiv Sena had contacted him, according to News18. He also alleged that the party would split and around two dozen MLAs would join the BJP if Fadnavis returned for a second term. The Shiv Sena has 56 MLAs.

BJP MP Sanjay Kakade had said on October 29 that 45 MLAs were in touch with Fadnavis and had expressed their desire to form the government in alliance with the saffron party. “Forty-five newly-elected MLAs in Shiv Sena are in touch with the chief minister and want alliance government to be formed,” he told ANI. “I think few of these 45 MLAs will convince Uddhav Thackeray and form [the] government with Devendra Fadnavis as CM.”

The NCP on Tuesday also reportedly told the Sena leadership that it wanted Arvind Sawant, the only Sena minister in the Centre, to resign. “Sawant should walk out of the government,” the news agency reported, quoting unidentified members of the Sharad Pawar-led party. “Only then NCP will open its cards.”

Earlier in the day, state NCP chief Jayant Patil had said that his party would be forced to come up with an alternative if the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition failed to form the government.

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