On Tuesday, at the Congress-NCP meeting, attended by senior state leaders from both sides, sources said NCP chief Sharad Pawar shot down the option of Congress backing a Sena-NCP formation from outside. “He made it clear that all three parties will have to be part of the government,” a senior leader said.
Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who landed in Mumbai with Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal, then raised the issue of CMP. “Unless the roadmap and the modalities of governing the state are finalised, the Congress will not be in a position to give such an assurance,” Ahmed is learnt to have conveyed, sources said.
Read | Shiv Sena: Prepared to end instability in Maharashtra by assuming role of ‘Neelkanth’
A pre-condition both Congress and NCP want the Sena to clarify publicly is the latter’s stance on development of minorities. “We will go ahead without compromising our secular credentials,” Pawar told the conference, the sources said. Senior Congress sources also indicated the party was unwilling to play “third fiddle” to the Sena and NCP if the three parties were to form a coalition government.
They said the party would push for equitable distribution of power, which could turn out to be a bone of contention even with the NCP. In the election, Sena won 56 seats, NCP 54, and Congress 44. With a combined tally of 154, they cross the half-way mark of 144.
The state was placed under President's rule on Tuesday, nineteen days after Maharashtra’s fractured verdict produced no clear winner in the Assembly elections. In the Maharashtra House of 288 members, the BJP has 105, Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44 MLAs.
NCP-Congress meeting over finalising the CMP is underway. NCP leaders Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde & Nawab Malik and Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Prithaviraj chavan, Sushilkumar shinde,Ashok Chavan, Manikrao Thakre, Vijay Wadettiwar present.
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Clearing the air on the Congress-NCP meeting over Common Minimum Programme (CMP), NCP chief Sharad Pawar Wednesday said the talks are still on. His comment came after Ajit Pawar informed a section of press that the talks were cancelled.
Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat on Wednesday asked newly-elected MLAs of his party who returned from Jaipur to work for the cause of farmers whose crops were damaged during unseasonal rains. "In the absence of government the MLAs should visit farmers and ensure they receive financial aid," he said.
The MLAs who were camping at a resort in Jaipur for the last five days returned to Mumbai on Wednesday, a day after President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra. (PTI)
Amit Shah: Even today if anyone has the numbers they can approach the Governor. The Governor has not denied chance to anyone. A learned lawyer like Kapil Sibal is putting forth childish arguments like ‘we were denied a chance to form govt’. (ANI)
Amit Shah on Shiv Sena objecting to Fadnavis' candidature as CM: "Before elections PM Modi and I said many times in public that if our alliance wins then Devendra Fadnavis will be the CM, no one objected back then. Now they have come up with new demands which are not acceptable to us." (ANI)
"Before this, in no state was so much time given,18 days were given. Governor invited parties only after assembly tenure ended. Neither Shiv Sena nor Congress-NCP staked claim and neither we. Even if today any party has numbers it can approach Governor." (ANI)
In an intrerview with NDTV, NCP leader Nawab Malik today said there is a need to have an alternative govt in Maharashtra.
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said on Wednesday that the party was on alert to prevent a possible "Operation lotus" -- attempts by the BJP to engineer defections from other parties -- in Maharashtra.
"We are alert about `Operation lotus'," he said. He was referring to BJP leader Narayan Rane's statement on Tuesday that former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had asked Rane to start work on forming a BJP-led government in the state. (PTI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Wednesday said the Maharashtra governor has brought instability in the state by recommending President's rule. "The governor has brought instability instead of stability by (recommending) President's rule in Maharashtra," PTI quoted him as saying.
Asked how the Congress will ally with the Shiv Sena with which it has ideologically differences, Gehlot said his party's president Sonia Gandhi has held detailed discussions at a Congress Working Committee meeting.
"Such decisions are important decisions and are taken in view of the future. We are not hungry to be in power but the Congress wants a stable government," he said.
-Shiv Sena refuses to go to the Supreme Court to appeal against the Governor's refusal for extra time; considers filing a fresh petition against President's rule in state.
-Unwilling to play 'third fiddle' to the Sena and NCP, says Congress demanding for equal distribution of power.
-Congress, NCP set up committee for talks on common minimum programme (CMP).
-Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut discharged from hospital, reiterates demand for a Sena CM.
-Uddhav Thackeray meets a team of senior Congress leaders, says "talks are on in the right direction" and "a decision will be announced at an appropriate time".
Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan and Manik Rao Thackeray coming out of Trident hotel after meeting Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Wednesday afternoon. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who was discharged from the hospital today after undergoing angioplasty, said, "Next chief minister of Maharashtra will be from the Shiv Sena."
Sharad Pawar addressed a meeting of newly elected NCP legislators in Mumbai. "They won't be fresh elections in the state. Don't worry," he said.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said talks over government formation in Maharashtra were progressing in the "right direction" and a decision will be taken at an appropriate time. "Everything is going fine. Talks are on in the right direction and a decision will be announced at an appropriate time," PTI quoted Thackeray as saying.
Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday changed his twitter bio to 'Maharashtra's sevak.' Fadnavis submitted his resignation as chief minister on November 8 Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari. The Governor has asked him to continue as ‘caretaker CM’. However, President's rule was imposed in the state on Tuesday.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was on Wednesday discharged from the Lilavati hospital. The 57-year-old Rajya Sabha member and Shiv Sena's spokesperson underwent an angioplasty procedure on Monday.
NCP has formed committee to finalise common minimum agenda. The committee include Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde and Nawab Malik.
Maharashtra Congress leaders meet Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut at Lilavati Hospital. Raut was admitted at the hospital on November 11 after he complained of chest pain.
Source: ANI
Congress has set up a committee of Maharashtra leaders for talks on Common Minimum Programme with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The committee includes Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Manikrao Thakre, Balasaheb Thorat and Vijay Wadettiwar. On Tuesday, Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who landed in Mumbai with Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal, raised the issue of CMP. “Unless the roadmap and the modalities of governing the state are finalised, the Congress will not be in a position to give such an assurance,” Ahmed is learnt to have conveyed, sources said.
Maharashtra government should be formed before this year ends said NCP leader Ajit Pawar adding Congress leader Jayant Patil will call Balasaheb Thorat, President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee for further discussions between the parties and discuss the dates for a joint discussion on how to go ahead. "As far as discussions on Shiv Sena goes, we'll do that only after discussing with alliance partners as we had a common manifesto. Shiv Sena's manifesto was different, so we'll have an understanding with Congress first&then go ahead with discussions on Shiv Sena," he added
Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that the President’s Rule being imposed in Maharashtra was a very unfortunate move. In a tweet he said, " the Governor of Maharashtra and the Union government's eyes and ears has no qualms to discard all constitutional norms."
Constitutional experts called Maharashtra Governor's move to impose President's rule unconstitutional, political leaders said Koshyari was dancing to the tunes of the central government. “After the Governor had given 48 hours to the BJP, he should have also given 48 hours to the Shiv Sena. Instead, he gave only 24 hours to the Sena, which was improper,” said Constitutional expert Ulhas Bapat. Congress leader Manikarrao Thakare, however, said, “President’s rule will not make any difference. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has said now we have got more time to discuss and come to an agreement.” Thakare said in a few days, the Congress, NCP and Sena will discuss the modalities of forming the government. “We are positive about forming the government,” he said.
Ailing Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday tweeted the word 'agneepath' three times, apparently to indicate a difficult path ahead for his party in its efforts to form government in Maharashtra with the Congress and NCP, its political rivals till recently. Raut, the 57-year-old Rajya Sabha member and Shiv Sena's spokesperson, who underwent an angioplasty procedure on Monday, has been tweeting from his hospital bed here over the current political situation in Maharashtra.
Setting the tone for talks with Shiv Sena on government formation in Maharashtra, the Congress and NCP have said the Sena must agree and sign off on a common minimum programme (CMP). Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who landed in Mumbai with Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal, then raised the issue of CMP. “Unless the roadmap and the modalities of governing the state are finalised, the Congress will not be in a position to give such an assurance,” Ahmed is learnt to have conveyed, sources said. Senior Congress sources also indicated the party was unwilling to play “third fiddle” to the Sena and NCP if the three parties were to form a coalition government. They said the party would push for equitable distribution of power, which could turn out to be a bone of contention even with the NCP. In the election, Sena won 56 seats, NCP 54, and Congress 44.
The Shiv Sena said that it is considering whether to press the petition or file a fresh petition against the president's rule. "After we submitted the petition, the president rule has been imposed in the state. So, we are considering whether to press the existing petition or file a fresh petition against president rule. The decision may be taken today," said Anil Parab, who is co-applicant in Sena's petition.
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday said they will not mention its petition in the Supreme Court challenging Maharashtra governor's decision of not granting it time for govt formation
The Maharashtra Assembly has been kept in suspended animation after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari noted that a situation has arisen when the formation of a stable government is not possible even 15 days after the election results had been declared. President’s Rule implies the suspension of a state government and the imposition of direct rule of the Centre. This is achieved through the invocation of Article 356 of the Constitution by the President on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers. Under Article 356, this move can be taken “(1) If the President, on receipt of the report from the Governor of the State or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution…”
A day after President’s rule was imposed in Maharashtra amid political uncertainty, Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana on Wednesday defended the party’s decision to work towards brokering a power-sharing deal with the Congress and NCP. A Saamana editorial said the party is prepared to do what it takes to form a stable government in the state. It also cited Bihar and J&K as examples of the BJP “tying up with diverse parties to establish power.” Read more
Welcome to our Maharashtra government formation LIVE blog. The impasse in government formation in Maharashtra entered the 19th day on Tuesday. After the Shiv Sena could not show support for its claim within the stipulated time on Monday, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited the NCP to show its willingness to form the government. Follow to get all the latest updates here!