Sena-NCP govt in Maha? Congress mulls at issue-based support

Although several Congress leaders from the state and national level were in favour of supporting a Shiv Sena-led government to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Although several Congress leaders from the state and national level were in favour of supporting a Shiv Sena-led government to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power in a crucial state like Maharashtra, the leadership could not decide whether it should support such a government. The party top brass is considering giving issue-based support to a Sena-Nationalist Congress Party government through a common minimum programme, which is likely to be discussed on Tuesday.

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In the backdrop of the 24 hours given to the Sena to stake claim, the Congress held several rounds of discussions in Delhi and Jaipur on Monday. The deliberation between the Congress and NCP and then among the three parties over the sharing of the power and policies, however, remained inconclusive. “Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar spoke to Congress’s acting president Sonia Gandhi. Sena leaders Anil Desai and Milind Narvekar met Congress’s Ahmed Patel in New Delhi, with an official message and request for support,” said a Congress leader.

All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders will meet Pawar in Mumbai on Tuesday. After the meeting, the Congress leaders are expected to meet the party high command in Delhi for a final decision. “We need discussions with Pawar to finalise the strategy,” said Kharge.

In a statement issued by party general secretary KC Venugopal, the Congress stated: “The Congress Working Committee had a detailed discussion on the situation in Maharashtra after which a consultation was held with Maharashtra Congress leaders. The Congress president has spoken to Shri Sharad Pawarji. The party will have further discussion with the NCP.”

A senior leader said the leadership feels any decision on such serious issues should not be taken in haste. When it learnt the modalities over power-sharing and common minimum programme were not finalised between the Shiv Sena and NCP, it felt more clarity was needed on its role in the alliance.

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders had two meetings in Delhi. The Congress Working Committee, chaired by Gandhi and comprising general secretaries Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, AK Antony, Kharge, Patel, discussed the possibility of joining the government. The central leadership was briefed by Kharge, who is also in-charge of Maharashtra, about the sentiments of the state leaders and the newly-elected party legislators. The legislators have been lodged at a resort in Jaipur, as the party feared poaching by the BJP. Senior state leaders, including state unit chief Balasaheb Thorat, former chief ministers Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, leader of opposition in outgoing Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, are in Jaipur over the past two days.

Gandhi spoke to some of the Congress MLAs over phone to confirm the feedback given by the state leaders. Most of them spoke in favour of joining the government.

An MLA who is former minister said barring a few Muslim and Dalit legislators, 40 have supported the view. “All were aggressive about their view to join the government. The leaders are expected to convey it to the central leadership,” he said.

The leadership feels supporting right-wing Sena would affect their prospects among Dalit and Muslim voters in other states. Gandhi had reportedly expressed her apprehension during her meeting with Pawar last week.

Senior party leaders, including Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi and Kharge, too, had earlier expressed their reservation about supporting the Shiv Sena.