BJP dare to Sena stirs Cong; 'will speak to high-command,' says Chavan

After the BJP created a major political twist in Maharashtra by informing the governor that it will not form the government in the state, Congress has said that it does not want President's rule in the state, while speaking to news agency PTI. He has also added that Congress MLAs will seek advice of the party high-command on its future political stand in Maharashtra. PTI also reported that Chavan has said that he is of a view to have a stable government in Maharashtra.

Earlier, adding to the 'Maha'-confusion, Congress leader Milind Deora on Sunday, suggested that the governor should invite NCP-Congress to form the next Maharashtra government as the Mahayuti has failed to do so. Exposing the Congress internal tussle yet again, its leader Sanjay Nirupam has said that alliance with Sena will be fatal for Congress. Congress and NCP fought the assembly election in alliance. 

Congress MLAs in Jaipur

Meanwhile, all 44 Congress MLAs are currently holed up in a resort in Rajasthan amid fears of poaching. Maharashtra Congress General secretary Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday met with the MLAs to decide on the ongoing Maharashtra deadlock. Amid reports of staking claim to form a govt with NCP and Sena's outside support, Kharge is set to ascertain the parties stance. The meeting held with Kharge included senior leaders like Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat who have talked with NCP chief Sharad Pawar to mull over an alliance with Sena.

READ | No Aaditya? Now, 'Uddhav as CM' posters outside Matoshree amid impasse

BJP says will not form govt

BJP on Sunday evening met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and informed the governor that it will not form the government in the state. Addressing a press conference after meeting the governor, BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said that Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena can stake claim to form the government. He said that Sena has betrayed the mandate of the people of Maharashtra.

Announcing BJP's decision that they conveyed to the Maharashtra governor on Sunday evening, Chandrakant Patil said: "In the elections, BJP, RPI, Sena and other parties were given mandate. Yesterday, the governor invited the BJP to form the government. We fought for the alliance, got votes for the alliance. Sena does not want to be part of the alliance. Sena chose to insult the mandate. We won't form the government. We informed the governor. If Sena has to go with NCP, Congress, we wish them good luck."

READ: Sharad Pawar: "SC verdict will not affect Maharashtra politics"

Shiv Sena says Maharashtra will have Sena CM at any cost

Speaking minutes after BJP's announcement, Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that if Uddhav Thackray has said that there will be Sena CM then there will be Sena CM at any cost. Raut held a meeting an at Matoshree on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray met the Sena MLAs in Hotel Retreat where they have been holed up to prevent poaching by other sides in view of political crisis in the state. Earlier, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the party is ready to form a government if 'no one is ready to form government', hinting at a Cong-NCP-Sena alliance. On Friday, Shiv Sena chief addressed media saying that BJP has betrayed the 50:50 formula that was decided between the Mahayuti alliance partners, in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah and Devendra Fadnavis. 

READ: Milind Deora pitches for NCP-Congress Maha govt, Shiv Sena backs it

NCP talks about 'some arrangements'  Maharashtra

Soon after BJP's announcement, NCP leader Majeed Memon, while speaking to Republic TV said that the NCP does not want re-election in the state, therefore, it will come out with some arrangement. "If we don't agree with some arrangements, some understandings among parties, the only result would be re-elections. Nobody wants that, even the people do not want that," he said.

READ: BJP tells Maha Guv it won't form govt, dares Sena to go with Cong-NCP