Maharashtra Impasse: Shiv Sena Claims Amit Shah Did Not Inform PM Modi About 50:50 Deal

Raut also admitted that he heard some BJP leaders talk while campaigning about Devendra Fadnavis continuing as the chief minister, but did not object as he thought is was not meant for Shiv Sena's 2.5 years term.

Maharashtra came under the President’s Rule on Tuesday evening. (File Photo/ PTI)

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra over government formation, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday once again trained guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that Amit Shah kept Narendra Modi in dark and did not inform the Prime Minister about the 50:50 agreement discussed with his party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Raut also claimed that had the BJP chief done so in time, Maharashtra would have had a stable government by now. "Had Shah informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this decision of '50:50 formula' in time, we would not have been facing this situation today," news agency PTI quoted the Shiv Sena leader as saying. Raut also wondered if PM Modi was kept away by top BJP leaders from the decision taken over seat-sharing. Speaking to the news agency, Raut also admitted that he heard some BJP leaders talk while campaigning about Devendra Fadnavis continuing as the chief minister, but did not object as he thought is was not meant for Shiv Sena's 2.5 years term. "I heard Modi saying that Fadnavis will continue as the chief minister of Maharashtra, but we maintained the decorum and did not object it as we did not see it as a political message to us," said Raut, according to PTI. "I wonder whether Modi was kept away by top BJP leaders from the decision taken between the BJP and Shiv Sena over seat-sharing." the Rajya Sabha member was quoted as saying. Further clarifying about BJP's agreement to Shiv Sena's 50:50 government sharing deal, Raut said, "It was the drawing room of late Balasaheb Thackeray, but for us it is a temple. The talks were held in the temple. If someone says no promises were made, it is an insult of the temple, Balasaheb Thackeray and Maharashtra." When asked about seat sharing deal with Shiv Sena, Amit Shah, on Wednesday told news agency ANI that it is not the BJP's ethic to bring to the public what has been discussed in private. "When a promise made behind closed door is not kept, then only it comes out. We never trade in politics nor do we see politics from the angle of profit or loss. We are making it public because it is about our self-respect," Raut attacked Shah. Maharashtra came under the President’s Rule on Tuesday evening after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his approval for the requisite notification. The President signed the notification following the recommendation of the Union Cabinet which acted on the report from the state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The Governor had recommended the imposition of President’s Rule following the political stalemate in the state over the formation of the government with BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP being unable to gather support for forming government in the state.