Even as Shiv Sena tom-toms about having arrived at a deal with its state ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), about sharing the Chief Minister's seat for two-and-a-half years, a senior BJP leader has categorically told DNA that no such arrangement as has been formally, or informally, accepted by the leadership.
His opinion is that Sena is resorting to grandstanding to keep its cadre together. The source says the seed for the idea was sown when the two parties were locked in negotiations for the Lok Sabha polls. A senior strategist, who recently joined the regional party, tired to convince senior leadership of this arrangement. The BJP rejected it outright, but the negotiator urged the party to keep swilling the idea about to keep the Sena engaged and enthused. He contended that this would build the perception that Sena bargained hard and didn't undermine its importance in the alliance.