RSS says it's up to BJP to decide on accepting NCP offer, Shiv Sena kept guessing

The RSS on Monday increased the suspense on government formation in Maharashtra by saying it was up to the BJP to accept or turn down the NCP's offer of unconditional support.

Talking to media persons after the conclusion of a three-day conclave, Sah Sarkaryavahak Bhaiyyaji Joshi said it "was best left to the BJP to take a call on the basis on merit."

"This is a political issue and should be left to the BJP," he said while answering a question on whether it was morally right to go with Sharad Pawar's NCP after targeting it during the campaign.

Meanwhile Sharad Pawar tweeted the NCP would not compromise with fundamentals and that the unconditional support to BJP was to ensure that Maharashtra gets a stable government.

Earlier in the day Shiv Sena leaders were in a huddle on what terms to set for joining a BJP-led government in Maharashtra.

The BJP right now has not fully revealed its cards on whether it would ask the Sena to join the government or accept the outside support offered by Sharad Pawar's NCP.

With just 23 short of majority, the BJP's gameplan clearly is to wear down the Sena and make it put up as less demands as possible, including one for the post of chief minister on a rotational basis.

The visit of union home minister Rajnath Singh, who was to attend a crucial BJP meeting here Monday , has been deferred.

"The new date would be announced later," leader of Opposition in legislative council Vinod Tawde said.

BJP has appointed Singh and senior leader J P Nadda as central observers to choose its legislature party leader in Maharashtra.

The Sena however continued to put up a brave fact, taking a swipe at Narendra Modi in its editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna saying the "wave" seen during the campaign had lost its force.

Expressing doubts over the survival of the state amid a hung house, it said the BJP, Congress and NCP benefited from multi-cornered contests.

"Break up of the Sena-BJP alliance and division of votes due to four and five-cornered fights in all seats benefited BJP as well as Congress-NCP. The Sena-BJP split benefited Congress-NCP.

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Given the Lok Sabha results, both these parties could not have won more than 25 seats together," the editorial said.

The Shiv Sena will not comment on how it views the results as of now, because what is important is the view of the "all powerful voters" who gave a fractured verdict, it said.

"With no party getting a clear majority, there are doubts how the state will survive because of the instability," the editorial said.

Taking a swipe at Modi and the BJP, the editorial said the "wave" seen during the campaign had lost its force even before reaching the shores.

In some places, there was more foam and less water in the wave," it quipped.

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