Mega swearing-in minus Sena

Shiv Sena says constant humiliation by BJP has upset its MLAs

• Some 40,000 guests are expected to attend the function
• No Shiv Sena leader to be inducted: Rajiv Pratap Rudy
• Negotiations with Sena will continue for a possible reunion

Mumbai: The first BJP government in Maharashtra led by Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in on Friday at a ceremony which Shiv Sena said it will boycott because of "constant humiliation" despite claims of talks being held for a possible tie-up.

His swearing-in ceremony will be held at a grand function in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium which will be attended by some 40,000 guests.

Shiv Sena, which has been blowing hot and cold over joining the new government, said, "We have constantly been humiliated by the BJP, which has not gone down well with our MLAs.

"As our MLAs feel that BJP did not give us due respect, why should we attend the oath-taking ceremony?" Sena MP Vinayak Raut told reporters after meeting party president Uddhav Thackeray.

The tough posturing by Sena came hours after BJP said no minister from that party was likely to be inducted tomorrow.
"It seems unlikely that any Shiv Sena minister will be sworn in. Talks with Sena are on in an amicable atmosphere for a possible tie-up in Maharashtra but there has been no outcome yet," BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy told PTI.
Maintaining that BJP was looking forward to a decision soon, he said," This may not happen tomorrow."

When asked if talks between Shiv Sena and BJP leaders for discussing a possible alliance had been called off, Raut said no talks had been scheduled, so there was no question of cancellation.

Earlier in the day, Sena MP and spokesman Sanjay Raut had said "positive talks" were on between the two parties and extended best wishes to Fadnavis and his team.

44-year-old Fadnavis, a fourth-term MLA from Nagpur, will be administered the oath of office by Governor C Vidyasagar Rao at Wankhede Stadium in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several of his Cabinet colleagues, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, corporate leaders, Bollywood stars and other celebrities.

A small Cabinet of about a dozen ministers including state BJP Core Committee members Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde besides MLAs from Schedule Castes and Scheduled tribes is also likely to be sworn in.

"A slim and trim government will take oath," a BJP leader said.

BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the 288-member state Assembly with 122 seats but one of its MLAs Govind Rathod died.

Though technically it will be a minority government until Sena joins it, declared support from 41-member NCP will act as a hedge for the BJP dispensation. It also has the support of several independent MLAs and those from some smaller parties.

Air fares skyrocket
In many travel agencies, the passengers from Nagpur who are eager to attend their leader’s swearing-in ceremony, will have to shell out any amount ranging from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000 for a flight ticket.

The fare of the fast-exhausting tickets for the evening flights on October 30, 2014, ranged from Rs. 11,000 charged by Jet Airways, Rs. 15,000 by Air India to as high as Rs. 28,000 for a one-way ticket (non-stop flights) to Mumbai.

Some of the regular passengers (businessmen) who travel to Mumbai for business were quick to point out that if they had flexible dates, i.e. travelling on November 1 , they could save as much as 50 per cent.

The ticket fares for October 31 morning flights were also inflated, ranging from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 21,000.