A BJP delegation led by party's state unit president Chandrakant Patil and Sudhir Mungantiwar on Thursday met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and discussed the delay in government formation in the state. Talking to reporters after emerging out of the meeting, Patil said, ''Wemet with the Governor and discussed the legal options of delay in government formation.''

''Now, we will decide our future course of action,'' he added. Meanwhile, a crucial meeting of BJP and RSS leaders has begun at the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi to discuss the political deadlock in Maharashtra. BJP working president JP Nadda, Bhupendra Yadav and BL Santosh are among thoseattending the meeting.  

Earlier, the newly-elected Shiv Sena legislators said onThursday that their party president Uddhav Thackeray will take a final call ongovernment formation in Maharashtra in order to end the ongoing politicaldeadlock in the state.

During the meeting, which was held at Sena chief's residenceMatoshree, the party legislators also asked Uddhav to be firm on the demand fora rotational CM during negotiations with ally BJP. Sena MLAs said with onevoice that the doors of their party are now closed for incumbent chief ministerDevendra Fadnavis. The meeting went on for an hour at Matoshree in Mumbai.

It may be recalled that the negotiations on governmentformation have dragged on for the 13th day since the assembly election resultswere announced.

Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar told reporters that all the partyMLAs and 8 independent legislators will remain at Rang Sharda Hotel in Bandratill the government is formed in the state. He aded that the party hasunanimously decided that only Shiv Sena leader be made the chief minister. ShivSena leader Sanjay Raut had denied rumours of party MLAs being moved to resortsto thwart alleged poaching by ally BJP, saying that his party remained intactand their political adversaries were spreading false rumours.

Raut also denied that the Sena wants BJP leader and Unionminister Nitin Gadkari to be the chief minister instead of Devendra Fadnavis.

Gadkari himself denied being in running for the CM post andbacked Fadnavis for the top job.

The Union minister said there was “no question” of himreturning to state politics and expressed confidence that the Sena and BJP willreach a deal soon. 

The BJP claims to have 121 MLAs including Independents andsmall parties on its side. But this number is much less than the 145-mark, thenumber needed in the Maharashtra Assembly. Therefore, the party has decided notto stake claim to form a government.

On the other hand, if no government is formed by November 8and the Governor calls the BJP since it is the single-largest party, then, inthat case, the state leadership will decide only after consulting the topleaders if they should go ahead or not.

November 8 is the last date for the formation of governmentin Maharashtra.

The BJP has emerged as the single largest party by winning105 seats in the recently held Assembly polls, while the Shiv Sena got 56 seatsin 288-member assembly. Ten days have passed since the poll results wereannounced on October 24 but there is a delay in the government formation asBJP-Shiv Sena still engaged in ironing out differences.