Congress in wait-and-watch mode

The Congress seems to have left the discussions on the post-election scenario in Maharashtra to its ally NCP. The party high command is taking a wait-and-watch approach on reports that the NCP and Shiv Sena may not hesitate to form a Government in the State as talks between the BJP and Shiv Sena has not made any headway.

The Congress leaders from Maharashtra, including PCC president Bala Saheb Thorat, met the party president Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders here on Friday. The high command has apparently asked the State leadership to not to make any comments as it does not want any association with Shiv Sena, which is “ideologically opposed” to the Congress.

Party insiders, however, confirmed that the party is keenly observing the informal negotiations between the NCP and the Shiv Sena. Though NCP has stated officially that the mandate asks it to sit in Opposition, the Congress believes that both the parties may have to discuss further as the BJP is in no mood to yield to Shiv Sena’s demands of a 50-50 share in Cabinet berths and a 2.5-year term for the post of Chief Minister.

There are suggestions before the high command that if the NCP and Shiv Sena decide to come together to form a government, the Congress should not hesitate to give support from outside.

Thorat told reporters after the meeting that the Congress is analysing the situation. “This was our first meeting with the high command after the Assembly results were announced. We had a detailed discussion with (AICC general secretary) KC Venugopal on Maharashtra results and Congress’ performance. We are analysing the political situation in Maharashtra.”

When asked if the Congress will extend support to Shiv Sena and the NCP from outside, he said: “We do not have that strategy. We are just watching how things unfold. We have got the mandate to sit in the Opposition. They are fighting just to get a bigger share in the government.”