Parties do permutations, combinations to form Maharashtra govt as deadlock continues

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday reiterated that the people have given their mandate to BJP- Sena, and the two parties should form the government.

A day after Maharashtra caretaker chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised each other over the impasse in the saffron alliance, all four parties are working out permutations and combinations to form the next government. On Saturday, there was a series of internal meetings in all three camps — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sena and Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

In case Congress continues to have its apprehensions over supporting an NCP-Sena government from outside, then NCP also has a plan B in place. (Bachchan Kumar/ HT Photo)

Meanwhile, Sena continued its attack on BJP over the pre-poll “agreement” on sharing the CM’s post. The party said it detests BJP’s “wordplay” over the matter, and that the people of the state are tired of it too. “Uddhav Thackeray has expressed his aggravation on the politics of falsehood and the people of the state have heard him...such politics will not be tolerated,” Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Saturday.

The statement was made hours before Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited Fadnavis, who was elected as BJP’s legislative leader, to form the government. This is expected to set in motion the developments related to government formation after a deadlock of 16 days since the results of the state Assembly elections were announced. Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “The decision [to stake claim to form the government] has to happen in the party’s core committee meeting tomorrow.”

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NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday reiterated that the people have given their mandate to BJP- Sena, and the two parties should form the government. “We are ready to sit in the Opposition,” said Pawar, even as he held a meeting with senior party colleagues at his south Mumbai residence. At the meeting, Pawar tried to get a general sense of what the leaders feel about the party’s plan to be part of a non-BJP government, said a senior NCP leader privy to the development. NCP is planning to forge an alliance with Sena to form a government with outside support from Congress. If Congress comes on board, the tally of the three parties —Sena, NCP and Congress — will go up to 154 seats. Pawar has called a meeting of his MLAs on Tuesday too, to discuss the current situation. “The MLAs are expected to be informed about the party’s decision on going with Sena. They may also be asked to stay put in Mumbai for the next few days,” said an NCP insider, adding, “Poaching is a possibility as BJP doesn’t have the majority figure. It also becomes easier for the party to take any further step if all MLAs are together in a secure place.” Congress has already sent its MLAs to Jaipur in Rajasthan, while Sena MLAs shifted to The Retreat Hotel in Madh on Friday, stayed put.

In case Congress continues to have its apprehensions over supporting an NCP-Sena government from outside, then NCP also has a plan B in place. The plan involves taking most of the small parties and Independents along. “BJP may not be able to get cross the tally of 120 MLAs if Sena doesn’t go with them. Our plan is to get as many as 129 MLAs and ask Congress to abstain at the time of the vote of confidence,” said another NCP insider.

With Sena chief Thackeray firm on not resuming talks until BJP admits to having gone back on its word over the CM’s post, the option before his party is to join forces with NCP and its ally, Congress, to form a government, which the party is exploring. The hitch, however, for Sena is that the Congress leadership is not keen on extending support to the hardline Hindutva party even though its legislators are open to back it to keep BJP out of power. While NCP and Sena are said to be engaged in talks, Congress is still undecided over the matter.

Sena functionaries said re-negotiations with BJP could begin if the party concedes to their demand for a CM for two-and-a-half-years. “He Uddhav] would still prefer BJP. If someone from BJP’s central leadership calls him and sorts it out, discussions could commence,” the functionary said, emphasising the CM post would have to be shared.

On Friday, Congress, too, deliberated upon the move to support a Sena-NCP government in a meeting headed by AICC general secretary, Mallikarjun Kharge. On Sunday, Congress’s state unit chief, Balasaheb Thorat; former CM, Prithviraj Chavan; and Kharge will meet all party MLAs in Jaipur. “The state leadership is in favour of a non-BJP government and is trying to convince the party leadership,” said a leader.