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Shiv Sena not to attend BJP Government's swearing in ceremony

by IBNS 30 Oct 2014, 12:12 pm

Mumbai, Oct 30 (IBNS): Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has decided to stay away from the swearing-in ceremony of first BJP Government in Maharashtra that will take place in Mumbai on Friday, media reported.

The move comes hours after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared that there is no chance of any Sena leader being sworn-in along with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a spectacular event at the famous Wankhede Stadium. 

 
Media quoted senior BJP leader and general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Thursday as saying that “No Shiv Sena leader to be inducted in Maharashtra government tomorrow.”

Earlier in the day, media reported that Shiv Sena asked the BJP to include them in the swearing-in ceremony of a new Maharashtra government slated for Friday.

Reports said the Shiv Sena did not want to be excluded from the Friday’s grand swearing-in event. 
 
Party chief Uddhav Thackeray has been invited by the state's would-be Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to attend the programme. 
 
But soon after Rudy’s snub, BJP’s estranged ally Shiv Sena chief has reportedly decided to skip new Maharashtra Government’s swearing-in ceremony.

The BJP has planned to organize the swearing-in ceremony at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium. 
 
Initially a small number of ministers are likely to take the oath while it continues discussions with the Shiv Sena over a possible coalition.

The BJP has 123 legislators while the Shiv Sena won 63 seats in the legislative Assembly. 
 
Even after taking the support of independents, the saffron brigade is still short of about seven seats to achieve the halfway mark in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly.