Maharashtra govt formation : Congress ‘agrees’ to Sena-NCP alliance

Maharashtra government formation LIVE updates: NCP and Shiv Sena leaders said that the political impasse in the state would end today.

Maharashtra’s wait for a government continues since the assembly elections, which were held a month ago, in spite of frantic talks involving all four probable stakeholders of power – Bharatiya Janta Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena and the Congress party.

The coveted chief minister’s post is the bone of contention between the former allies – Shiv Sena and BJP and the probable NCP-Congress-Sena alliance.

On Wednesday, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told reporters that the chief minister of the state will be from his party, but parried question on whether the Sena would hold the post for five years.

Maharashtra govt formation : Congress ‘agrees’ to Sena-NCP alliance

Maharashtra assembly were held on October 21 and were fought by two alliances – BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress-NCP. The BJP-Shiv Sena coalition comfortably crossed the majority mark. However, the saffron parties severed ties with each other. Arithmetically speaking, no party in Maharashtra had the ability to form a government without the help of any other. As none of the political parties succeeded in getting the numbers, Maharashtra governor imposed President’s rule on the state.

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• Decision on Maharashtra by Friday; CWC agrees to go ahead for govt formation with Shiv Sena: Cong sources
• Congress leader KC Venugopal on CWC meeting: We have apprised the CWC members of the latest political situation in Maharashtra. Today, Congress-NCP discussion will continue. I think, tomorrow, we will probably have a decision in Mumbai.
• Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on Maharashtra govt formation: The Congress Working Committee today discussed and decided what steps need to be taken ahead. We will now take steps as decided in the meeting.
• A final decision on the new government in Maharashtra will be taken in the next two days, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday. (He told reporters that there there are no plans of any meeting between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray this week.)