Maha govt: Last round of deliberations from Wednesday

The formation of a Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress government could be in the final phase, with a conclusive round of deliberations set to begin from

The formation of a Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress government could be in the final phase, with a conclusive round of deliberations set to begin from Wednesday.

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Following a meeting between Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, top state leaders from the two parties are expected to meet in Delhi on Wednesday evening, in the presence of their national leaders. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has convened a meeting of party MLAs at Matoshree on November 22, which will be crucial in view of the developments in the past few days.

There was confusion following Pawar’s statements on Monday that he had not discussed government formation with Gandhi during the visit, but had just apprised her of the situation in Maharashtra. Rubbishing talks of confusion, Sena MP Sanjay Raut asserted that his party will form a strong and stable government soon. “A Shiv Sena-led government will be formed in Maharashtra soon...We want Uddhav Thackeray to lead the government,” Raut said in New Delhi. “Such statements are creating confusion among leaders, MLAs and workers of the three parties. It may be because of the divide within their leadership over supporting Shiv Sena to form the government, but it gives room to the BJP,” a former minister and Congress leader said.

In Delhi, the Congress and NCP leaders will discuss the CMP, the roadmap for the three-party government and the power-sharing formula. Once approved by the central leadership, it will be discussed with the Shiv Sena. The formula includes chief ministership for the Sena and deputy chief minister posts for NCP and Congress and sharing of ministerial berths as well as key portfolios. State Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar and Manikrao Thakre will attend the meeting, with NCP’s Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare. The meeting between the two parties was scheduled for Tuesday, but cancelled at the last minute owing to the birth anniversary event of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Smaller allies namely Raju Shetti of Swabhimani Paksha, Jogendra Kawade of People’s Republican Party, and representatives from Samajwadi Party, Peasants and Workers Party, too, are expected to attend the meeting.

Congress’s national leaders Ahmed Patel, AK Antony and Mallikarjun Kharge met party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi at her residence, 10, Janpath, on Tuesday afternoon. It is not clear if the leaders will be part of the team meeting the NCP leaders in Delhi.

According to a Congress leader, the two parties decided not to waste more time as it could give room to BJP to try to stake a claim. “After Pawar’s statements, a few MLAs from the Congress and NCP intimated their leaders that the BJP was getting in touch with them. This was taken very seriously by the two parties,” a top Congress leader from state said.

A BJP leader who was earlier with the NCP said that BJP was in touch with 10-15 MLAs from the Congress and NCP. The BJP MLAs have also been directed by the party leadership not to travel out of the state as they may need to reach Mumbai at a short notice.

According to an NCP insider, the party has decided to join hands with the Sena to form a coalition government along with the Congress in a core committee meeting held on Sunday in Pune. The NCP has suggested one ministerial position against four legislators as a power-sharing formula. Going by that, the Shiv Sena and NCP should get 15 berths in the ministerial council, while the Congress’s share comes to 12. But the party is insisting on equal share in the ministerial council,” said a party insider.

Hemant Takle, NCP national secretary, said, “Pawar saheb has made it clear since the beginning that the mandate for us was to sit in the opposition and BJP and Shiv Sena should form the government. We are following the right procedure. For this, there has to be a consensus between Congress, NCP and smaller allies.”

According to Raut, as three diverse parties are coming together to form the government, it would take time to iron out the common agenda and other modalities. “When diverse parties come together, preparations have to be made on fundamental level. Such a government is not being formed for the first time in the country. Therefore, it takes time,” he said. “The Shiv Sena is the largest party and the government will be formed under the leadership of Shiv Sena, so there is nothing wrong in what Pawar saheb said... It will take a 100 years for you to understand what Pawar saheb says… The Congress and NCP have a pre-poll alliance. They are big parties and have smaller allies. What Pawar saheb has said is correct.”