No formula in MVA that party with most seats will pick CM: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut

MUMBAI: The heat generated within the MVA alliance by Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat's remarks two days ago that the state's next chief minister would be from the Congress, refuses to die down. On Saturday, when Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut was asked whether there was a formula within the alliance that the party with the most seats would get the chief minister's post, he shot back, "No such formula has been decided. Nor will it be decided."

Speaking to a media channel, Raut said Thorat was a senior leader of the Congress and may want to be its CM face or another leader may want the same, but this would have to be declared by the party. In the same breath, he added, "But this will not happen because there will be an MVA face," said Raut.

"After the results are declared, the strength of the three parties will decide the chief minister. It depends on which face Maharashtra will accept. Also, on who will be able to best handle the reins of the alliance. These issues will be discussed, like they were three years ago," Raut said, indicating that the Shiv Sena (UBT) had its hat in the ring.

Thorat's statement had caused a stir because until then, all three parties within the MVA had said that they would not name a chief ministerial candidate for the election. Earlier, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had said that a decision on the CM's post would be taken jointly by parties within the MVA.

When asked about the progress of the seat-sharing talks within the MVA alliance, he said, "We have only one formula. We have to contest together to topple this govt of looters. And if some sacrifice is needed, we are ready for it."

On the seat-sharing talks, he said, "The talks are proceeding smoothly and with control. There are no differences."

He said until the talks were concluded, none of the 288 assembly seats belonged to anyone. "We have only one criterion. That the one who has the strongest capacity to win, should be allowed to contest that seat."

While speaking to the media, Raut was also critical of the Mahayuti govt for postponing the Mumbai University senate election. "This is a govt of cowards. They have pushed the senate elections forward twice. They made the vice-chancellor call off the election because they were scared we were going to win," said Raut.

"They talk of One Nation, One Election. But they have been unable to hold BMC polls in three years. They only face polls when they can buy votes or they can rely on the power of the ED and the CBI."