'NCP will vote against BJP during floor test'

As Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asked the BJP on Saturday to indicate its willingness to form government, the NCP said the governor's decision has come late, and it would vote against the BJP if there is a floor test.

NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik also said his party can think of an "alternative" if the Shiv Sena too voted against the BJP.

Following the 15-day-long impasse, the governor on Saturday evening asked the BJP to "indicate willingness and ability" to form government.

"The governor has initiated the process late. He should have done it earlier," Malik said in his reaction.

The governor should ensure that the BJP has the numbers to prove its majority, and also see that there is no horse-trading if the BJP decides to take a floor test, the NCP spokesperson said.

"The NCP will vote against the BJP in case it comes to floor test. The NCP will think of an alternative if the Shiv Sena votes against the BJP on the floor of the House and the government collapses," the Mumbai NCP chief added.

However, earlier in the day, NCP president Sharad Pawar had said there was no discussion within his party on extending support to the Shiv Sena.

Malik said the NCP's 54 MLAs will meet here on November 12 in Pawar's presence.

Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant said that Koshyari should have invited the BJP much earlier.

"At last, after a prolonged delay, the process has started. Honourable Governor should have done it far earlier. ...Already a lot of time has lapsed," Sawant said.

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly in the October 21 elections. Its ally, the Shiv Sena, is the second largest party with 56 seats.

But the two allies have been bickering over sharing the chief minister's post. The Sena wants it to be shared for two-and-half years on rotational basis, while the BJP is opposed to the idea.