Published 08:57 IST, November 21st 2019
All Congress-Sena-NCP MLAs to be present to stake claim, Maha govt by December : Sources
All three parties (Congress-NCP-Sena) along with the Independent MLAs supporting them (total - 170 MLAs) will stake claim to form the next Maharashtra govt
After the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi green-lighting the unlikely Congress-NCP-Sena alliance, sources report on Thursday that all three parties along with the Independent MLAs supporting them (total - 170 MLAs) will stake claim to form the next Maharashtra government in the first week of December. Sources further report that while Sena is insisting that party Supremo Uddhav Thackeray be made CM for the full term, NCP is still insisting for a rotational CM post. Sources report that a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is scheduled at 9:15 AM to discuss the same and a Congress-NCP meet too is scheduled at 10 AM.
All MLAs to stake claim
Sources report that the newly elected Congress, NCP and Sena MLAs have been asked to assemble in Mumbai along with their Identity cards and Election Commission-issued election certificates. Meanwhile, portfolio sharing which has been in talks between the three parties has resulted in NCP reportedly getting major portfolios, while Congress is likely to get many ministers too. These developments happened after marathon meetings between NCP-Congress, in which Sonia Gandhi greenlighted the alliance after meeting with NCP Supremo.
Sonia Gandhi greenlights alliance
Earlier on Wednesday, Gandhi agreed to an alliance with Shiv Sena, which was confirmed by NCP's Rajya Sabha MP Majeed Memon. This came even after Maharashtra Congress workers have urged party chief Sonia Gandhi to not go ahead with an alliance with the saffron party--Shiv Sena. As per reports, the state leadership of the Congress party had earlier written to the party chief saying the same. Sena MP Sanjay Raut too has stated that the process to form the government will complete in the next 5-6 days and a strong govt will be formed by December.
BJP-Shiv Sena fallout
The BJP-Shiv Sena's 'Mahyuti' of 35 years fell out at the state-level, after Maharashtra Assembly polls with Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray insisting a 50-50 sharing of Chief Minister post for 2.5 years and portfolios and Fadnavis refused to these demands. Both parties are eyeing to form the next government separately in Maharashtra -which is currently under President's rule. While the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress is still in talks to finalise the Common minimum programme to form an alliance, the BJP has vowed that it will form the next government. The Mahayuti alliance swept Maharashtra on October 24, winning a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56).
Updated 12:48 IST, November 21st 2019