Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Monday demanded the post of Maharashtra chief minister for Eknath Shinde, saying the BJP must give a befitting reply to people who say the party uses and throws allies.

Amid uncertainty about who would become the chief minister of Maharashtra, the MP said the BJP should do what it did in Bihar and Haryana.

In Bihar, the BJP made ally Nitish Kumar the chief minister even when it was the single-largest party.

In Haryana, elections were held under the leadership of CM Nayab Saini and he was appointed as the chief minister after victory in the assembly polls, he added.

“People like Sanjay Raut are saying BJP uses and throws allies. I hope BJP will give a befitting reply to such propaganda against it,” Mhaske said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party became the single-largest party in Maharashtra after winning 132 seats. Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena won 57 seats. Ajit Pawar’s NCP won 41 seats.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance retained power after winning over 230 seats in the state.

Pawar, meanwhile, said on Monday that no “formula” was being discussed for the chief minister’s post and a decision on it will be taken together by the Mahayuti partners.”There is no formula being discussed. We three (allies) will sit together and discuss the CM’s post,” he added.

“Yesterday, NCP selected me as the party’s leader in the assembly. Eknath Shinde was also elected as Shiv Sena’s leader in the assembly and BJP will also do the same. We will sit together and discuss and will provide a stable government,” he added.

In 2022, Eknath Shinde spearheaded a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in Shiv Sena and walked away with over three dozen MLAs. He later joined hands with the BJP, formed a government and became the chief minister of Maharashtra.

With inputs from Shailesh Gaikwad, PTI