Mumbai: The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said Tuesday evening that they had not taken any decision about supporting the Shiv Sena to form government in Maharashtra yet, but will hold further discussions.
At a joint press conference with Congress leaders, NCP president Sharad Pawar said the two parties will discuss and evolve a consensus on what should be the policies and programmes if the Shiv Sena was to be supported.
The press conference was attended by Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Veugopal, deputed by the party president Sonia Gandhi to hold further talks with the NCP on the issue.
“We (Congress and NCP leaders) discussed the nitty gritty of a (possible) common minimum programme (CMP) to ensure the government functions smoothly,” Sharad Pawar stated. “Policies and programmes will have to be finalised before making a claim to form the government,” Pawar added.
Ahmed Patel said the Shiv Sena, which had contested the elections in alliance with the BJP, approached the Congress-NCP formally only Monday, seeking support.
Patel also opined that no final decision can be taken about supporting the Shiv Sena without first formulating the CMP. He also condemned the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra and said that his party was not given the chance to stake claim to form government.
The Shiv Sena suffered a setback Monday in its efforts to cobble up a non-BJP government in Maharashtra with the Congress at the last moment announcing its decision to hold more talks with ally NCP on supporting the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Governor BK Koshyari sent a report Tuesday to the Centre, recommending President’s rule in the state which is facing a political impasse since the Assembly poll results of October 24. The President’s rule was imposed Tuesday evening.
PTI