Gadkari likely to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

As the Maharashtra government formation efforts reach a critical stage, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is likely to meet Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at its headquarters here on Thursday, according to sources.

Gadkari and Bhagwat are expected to discuss the political scenario with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena unwilling to let go off the Chief Minister's post as the prospects of President's Rule loom ahead by this weekend.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday again reiterated that the next government will be formed by his party with its own Chief Minister, but has not spelled out how it will be achieved.

Raut, who claims the support of 175 MLAs, repeated his challenge to the BJP to stake a claim to the government and produce 145 signatures of support - the simple majority mark in the 288-member Assembly.

The BJP's incumbent Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is also adamant on the the post compelling the party to consider options, with the mantle likely to fall on Gadkari.

A veteran politician, a former state Minister, former BJP President, who some refer to as a 'Crisis Pehalwan', Gadkari is currently a Union Minister and enjoys a good equation with the RSS and all other political parties.

In the current political imbroglio, many in the BJP and RSS - besides the ally Shiv Sena - are optimistic that Gadkari can cut the Gordian's Knot in 'two hours' and pave the way for a saffron combine government to take office.

Gadkari also enjoys a good rapport with Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and earlier his father, the party's founder, the late Bal Thackeray, and several Sena ministers, many of them were his cabinet colleagues in the erstwhile Sena-BJP government of 1995-1999.

Besides Gadkari's meeting with Bhagwat, a BJP delegation will call on Governor B.S. Koshyari and Thackeray will address a meeting of the Sena's newly-elected legislators later in the day.