While wrangling continued in Maharashtra over government formation, the BJP on Wednesday elected caretaker Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as its legislative party leader at a meeting here. As informed by Fadnavis earlier, BJP president Amit Shah did not take part in the meeting of the newly-elected BJP MLAs. Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and party's vice president Avinash Rai Khanna were central observers at the Maharashtra legislative party meeting.

Addressing the BJP MLAs after being elected their leader, Fadnavis sought to put all speculation to rest over government formation and said Mahayuti alliance will come to power in the state.

"This mandate is surely for 'Mahayuti' (BJP-Shiv Sena alliance) as we sought votes for 'Mahayuti'. People also voted for it. So, there should be no doubt. It will be a 'Mahayuti' government," Fadnavis stated.

The development came amid reports that Fadnavis could take oath as the CM of Maharashtra for a second term on Thursday or Friday, whether ally Shiv Sena comes on board or not.

The Shiv Sena has been sticking to its demand for a 50:50 formula to be applied in the formation of the government, wherein the two allies share the CM post for half terms of 2.5 years each. The Shiv Sena is also demanding for sharing of berths in the Cabinet as per the formula.

Fadnavis on Tuesday denied that the BJP had agreed to the 50:50 formula in the run-up to the sealing of alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. Fadnavis said Amit Shah had told him that no such agreement was formalised. He, however, added that if any such deal was reached, then only Amit Shah and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray would be aware.

Fadnavis also asserted that he would be the CM for the next five years.

Fadnavis’ remarks irked the Shiv Sena yesterday, with chief Uddhav Thackeray cancelling a 4:00 pm meet with the BJP to discuss government formation.

Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut hit out at Fadnavis over his remarks, suggesting that he was lying and the definition of truth needed to be in that case.

BJP sources have said that the understanding reached with the Shiv Sena was about "equitable distribution of power and not on the post of the chief minister".

In the Maharashtra election results announced last Thursday, the BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member Assembly. The Sena bagged 56 seats while the NCP and the Congress won 54 seats and 44 seats, respectively.

Meanwhile, Jan Surajya Shakti party leader and Shahuwadi (Kolhapur) MLA Vinay Kore on Tuesday extended his support to the BJP for form the government in the state.