Maharashtra: Shiv Sena, NCP And Congress May Stake Claim To Form Govt Tomorrow, Say Sources

The stalemate in Maharashtra is likely to end tomorrow as the all three non-BJP parties are set to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. Sources have told News Nation that all three parties – NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress – will meet the Governor after 3 pm on Saturday. Sources privy to the crucial details say that the parties are likely to stake claim to form government in Maharashtra. The state has not seen a new government after the recently concluded Assembly elections threw a hung house. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC has said that, “We are not interested in lust for power. We are here as ‘Pradhan Sewak’.” NCP’s Nawab Malik, however, rejected the government formation buzz and insisted that Saturday meeting at Raj Bahvan is strictly about farm issues.

The Shiv Sena is expected to get a full-term chief minister while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress will get one deputy chief minister each, under the agreement reached by the three non-BJP parties in Maharashtra, according to sources. The sources said that the common minimum programme (CMP) for the formation of the new government has been agreed. According to the formula, Shiv Sena, the NCP and Congress will get 14, 14, and 12 ministers, respectively. There are reports coming in from Mumbai that NCP chief Sharad Pawar is likely to fly down to Delhi to meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Interestingly, the official take of all parties on the key meeting with Governor is that deliberation at Raj Bhavan will be centred on farmers’ issues.

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday also recommended President's rule in Maharashtra where no political party has been able to form a government after the Assembly polls last month. Sources said the Union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met in Delhi this afternoon to discuss the political impasse in Maharashtra and decided to recommend to the president to impose Central rule in the state.

The BJP and the Sena, which fought the October 21 polls in alliance, secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member assembly. The Congress and the NCP won 44 and 54 seats, respectively.