We Don't Want Elections To Be Held Again In Maharashtra, Says NCP Chief Sharad Pawar

After the imposition of President's Rule in Maharashtra, Senior NCP and Congress leaders addressed a joint press conference on Tuesday where they launched a scathing attack to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing them of violating the Supreme Court's guidelines on President's rule on several occasions in the last 5 years.

At a joint press conference with Congress leaders, NCP president Sharad Pawar said the two parties will discuss and evolve a consensus on what should be the policies and programs if the Shiv Sena was to be supported.

The press conference was attended by Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Veugopal, deputed by the party president Sonia Gandhi to hold further talks with the NCP on the issue.

“We (Congress and NCP leaders) discussed the nitty gritty of a (possible) common minimum programme to ensure the government functions smoothly,” he said.

Ahmed Patel said the Shiv Sena, which had contested the elections in alliance with the BJP, approached the Congress-NCP officially only on Monday, seeking support to form the next government.

President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra on Tuesday evening amid a stalemate over government formation after the assembly polls last month. The Union Cabinet had earlier in the day recommended President's rule in the state after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari submitted a report in this regard, officials said.

President Ram Nath Kovind has signed a proclamation imposing President's rule in Maharashtra, they said adding the Assembly will remain in suspended animation. In his report, the governor said a situation has arisen that a stable government is not possible even after 15 days of election results being declared, according to officials.

He said that all efforts have been made to form a government but he saw no probability that a stable government could be formed. The governor noted that he is satisfied that governance of the state cannot be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and he is left with no alternative and is constrained to send a report on the provision of Article 356, the officials said.