MH-PRE RULE-REAX

Prez rule recommendation: Cong says Governor acted in hurry
    Mumbai, Nov 12 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday said
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari acted in a hurry in sending
his report recommending President's rule in Maharashtra
without exhausting all options for government formation.
    The Shiv Sena, which on Monday suffered a setback in
its efforts to cobble up a non-BJP government in the state,
said if President's rule is imposed, it can be challenged in
court.
    The governor, who had given the NCP time till 8.30 pm
on Tuesday to express its "willingness and ability" to form
government, has submitted a report to President Ram Nath
Kovind recommending President's rule in the state.
    "I condemn this action which has been taken in a hurry
without exhausting all options. This raises questions about
the governor's impartiality. This also raises doubt whether
the governor is acting under pressure," Maharashtra Congress
spokesman Sachin Sawant told reporters here.
    Another senior Congressman Vijay Wadettiwar, who was
leader of the opposition in the 13th state Assembly, the
tenure of which expired on November 9, felt President's rule
will not be a roadblock in government formation.
    "When all the three parties (Congress, NCP and Shiv
Sena) show that we have the support of more than 144 MLAs, the
governor will have to invite us to form government," he said.
    Senior Congress leader and former Union minister
Sushilkumar Shinde echoed a similar view, saying "once we have
letters of support, the President's rule can be lifted".
    Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj
Chavan said the governor should have invited his party to
indicate "willingness and ability" to form government.
    Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab, however, said if President's
rule is imposed, it can be challenged in court.
    The governor earlier asked the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP
to expres willingness to form government in the state.
    After the BJP declined, Koshyari invited the Shiv
Sena, which on Monday sought more time to submit letters of
support. However, the governor declined the request.
    Koshyari then asked the NCP to express its
willingness to form government by 8.30 pm on Tuesday.
     With 54 MLAs, the NCP is the third largest party
after the BJP (105) and the Shiv Sena (56) in the 288-member
House, where the halfway mark is 145. The Congress has 44
MLAs. PTI MR
GK GK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)