As the stalemate over government formation in Maharashtra continues, the Shiv Sena on Thursday made another sensational claim accusing its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of poaching MLAs.

In its editorial mouthpiece Saamana, Sena said the people of Maharashtra want the chief minister to be from the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and also accused its ally of using "money power" to break the deadlock over government formation.

"Some people are trying to win over new Sena MLAs to with money power. Such complaints are increasing. Sena will not allow a politics devoid of values in the state," the editorial said.

"The previous govt is trying to form the new government with money power. But no one is helping farmers hence farmers want a Sena CM."

Reacting to the accusation, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, " Shivsena is an alliance partner of @BJP4India and part of #Mahayuti If it feels scared that #BJP will poach their MLAs, then we can very well understand how much #BJP is morally corrupt and why we must save Maharashtra from them. Does #Mahayuti hv moral rights to form govt now?"
Taking a jibe at BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar who said that "good news" could soon be expected, the Sena said, "Sudhir Mungantiwar talked about good news but not about numbers. No one should think of ruining the prestige of Maharashtra. Sena is ready with swords to protect the integrity of the state."

BJP to meet Maharashtra Governor today
With the term of the current Maharashtra Assembly ending on November 9, the single largest party in the House would meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday.

A delegation of the BJP, to be led by state unit president Chandrakant Patil, will meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari with a message approved by the chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, senior leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Wednesday.

Mungantiwar also informed that the party has decided to start a procedure to select a new state unit president.

The procedure to select the new state BJP chief will be completed by December 31, Mungantiwar said. A resolution to the BJP-Shiv Sena stalemate over the government formation is expected and a new dispensation may take office before the term of the outgoing Assembly ends, sources said.

The tussle
There has been no headway in government formation after the results of the state polls were declared on October 24.

The BJP, which won 105 seats, and the Shiv Sena, which bagged 56 seats, are locked in a bitter tussle over sharing of the chief minister's post and ministerial portfolios in the new government, even 13 days after the Assembly poll verdict handed them enough seats to cobble up a coalition government.

They won 161 seats together in the 288-member House, much above the halfway mark of 145.

Besides, the opposition NCP won 54 seats while the Congress got 44 seats.