The prospects of forming a new government in Maharashtra brightened on Wednesday after leaders of both the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party held a marathon meeting in Delhi. After the meetings, which were held in the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in the national capital, both the parties expressed confidence of forming a “stable” government in the state by joining hands with the Shiv Sena.
Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Mallikarjun Kharge, Prithviraj Chavan, K.C. Venugopal and Balasaheb Thorat attended the meeting. Those representing the NCP included Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Nawab Malik.
Chavan, while talking to media along with NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik after the meeting, hoped that the spell of political uncertainty in the state would come to an end at the earliest.
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Malik, however, was categorical in indicating that the two parties would join hands with the Shiv Sena. "There cannot be any government in Maharashtra without the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress. We are trying our best to resolve issues," he said.
The Congress said for the final round of talks, the Shiv Sena leadership will come to Delhi.
Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut exuded confidence that a government led by his party would be in place in the state by next month. He said the picture on the new coalition would be clear by Thursday afternoon.
“All the obstructions which were there in the last 10-15 days regarding the government formation in Maharashtra are not there anymore. You will get to know by 12 pm tomorrow that all the obstructions are gone. The picture will be clear by tomorrow afternoon," said Raut.
He also claimed the Shiv Sena had the support of 170 MLAs when the party needed the support of 145 MLAs to claim a stake to form a government in a 288-member assembly.
Maharashtra was placed under President's Rule as no party or alliance could form a government for want of requisite numbers even weeks after the results of the assembly polls were declared.
After felling out with its ally BJP over the demand for the post of the chief minister for an equal term, the Shiv Sena reached out to the Congress-NCP combine for support.
The saffron alliance had secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, while the Congress and the NCP, pre-poll allies, won 44 and 54 seats, respectively.
The Shiv Sena has indicate that it would exit from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The party has already withdrawn its lone minister Arvind Sawant from the Narendra Modi government.
The Congress and the NCP have already finalised a draft Common Minimum Programme (CMP) to run a possible coalition government with the Shiv Sena.
