The BJP indicated its resolve to form the government in Maharashtra, or scuttle anyone else’s chances by clamping President’s rule, on a day ally Shiv Sena appeared to be making serious efforts to secure the chief minister’s chair with Congress-NCP backing.

The BJP continued to maintain silence as the Sena stepped up its attacks on the bigger partner, slamming its “arrogance” and claiming the state would have a Sena chief minister. But in private, BJP leaders exuded confidence.

“Everything should be sorted out in a couple of days. It will be either a BJP-led government in the state or no government,” a party source said.

Sudhir Mungantiwar, finance minister in the outgoing Devendra Fadnavis government, on Friday said that President’s rule could be imposed if the new government was not in place by November 7.

Although the minister’s claim was based on the impending expiry of the current Assembly’s term on November 8, it was seen as an indication of the BJP’s determination not to let the Sena form the government with Congress-NCP support.

“A new government will have to be in place within the stipulated time, else the state will have to be placed under President’s rule,” Mungantiwar said.

His party colleagues said back-channel talks were on with the Sena but, even if the ally didn’t come around, the BJP would form the government. They expressed confidence that since the pre-poll alliance of the BJP and the Sena had gained a clear majority, the governor would invite Fadnavis to form the ministry.

“The clear mandate is for the BJP-Sena alliance. Any other formation staking claim would be going against the people’s mandate,” a BJP politician said.

But Sena MP Sanjay Raut continued to castigate the BJP, accused the party of “arrogance” and insisted that Maharashtra would have a Sena chief minister.

“Maharashtra will have a chief minister from the Shiv Sena,” Raut told reporters in Mumbai. He insisted that the BJP respect the 50-50 power-sharing agreement reached ahead of the summer Lok Sabha polls.

Raut’s comments came a day after he had called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Although the Sena MP claimed the meeting was a “courtesy call”, BJP insiders read it as a “serious effort” by the ally to secure support from the Opposition and form the government.

On Friday, Raut took a dig at the BJP without naming the party. “Sahib, don’t feed your arrogance, many Alexanders have drowned in the ocean of time,” he tweeted.

Raut said the Sena could garner the numbers to form the government without the BJP but was desisting in deference to “alliance dharma”.