SCOOP: NCP ready to give Maha CM post to Sena, awaiting Congress nod

Amid ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra, NCP has agreed to give the Chief Minister's post to Shiv Sena, but is waiting for Congress's decision on the same, sources said. Minutes after NCP put the onus on Congress to discuss the future course of government formation in Maharashtra, Congress has now said that the delay is from NCP's chief Sharad Pawar, as per sources. Even as Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena fails to come at a consensus over the government formation in the state, BJP is holding a core committee meeting.

As the deadline by governor to NCP for government formation in Maharashtra nears, the Mahagadhi alliance partners have began the blame game. On Tuesday, NCP's Ajit Pawar claimed that Congress' delay was responsible for NCP unable to support Shiv Sena. He added that any decision will be taken together by NCP-Congress jointly. He also narrated the entire sequence of Monday - stating that NCP waited the whole day for Congress' support letter. Soon after his statement, sources said that Congress MLAs have claimed that the delay is from Congress's side. 

READ: NCP may seek 48 hr extension from Guv amid uncertainty over Maha govt

However, NCP has agreed to Shiv Sena's demand of a Sena chief Minister as the saffron party had a fallout with its saffron ally BJP over the same issue. Though an official announcement has not been made, sources said that NCP is ready to give the CM post only if its ally Congress agrees to it. Maharashtra is waiting for a government even after 19 days since the election results were announced. The mandate in the election was given to the Mahayuti alliance (BJP-Shiv Sena), which has now blamed each other for betraying the people of Maharashtra. 

READ: NCP blames Congress for delay; says no NCP-Sena govt sans Cong support

Maharashtra's political crisis

In a minute-by-minute changing dynamics of Maharashtra politics, Governor of Maharashtra on Monday night invited the third-largest party - NCP to form the government after BJP and Shiv Sena failed to provide the majority number. Congress leader KC Venugopal on Monday evening said that Congress is still discussing the formation of a government with the NCP and has to extended Outer support to the Shiv Sena. This official declaration came even as Shiv Sena reached its deadline of 7.30 PM to form the government in Maharashtra. The NCP, on the other hand, placed the onus of decision-making on Congress, saying they will take the decision only after Congress decides. After BJP on Sunday announced that it won't form government, Governor had invited the second largest party - Shiv Sena to form the government. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant also resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet. 

READ: HD Deve Gowda asks Congress to 'not disturb' govt if allied with Sena

Maharashtra assembly elections 

The stalemate in the state is a result of the fallout of the Mahayuti alliance partners- BJP and Shiv Sena over the post of Chief Minister in the state. While both blamed each other of betraying people's mandate, BJP made it clear to the governor that it would not form government as Sena does not wish to negotiate. In the assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance partners won a total of 161 seats - BJP won 105 seats and Shiv Sena won 56 seats. The Mahagadhi made a comeback bagging 98 seats - (NCP 54 seats and Congress 44 seats.)

READ: Arvind Sawant's portfolio given to Javadekar, as Sena Min steps down