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The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has been invited to form a government in Maharashtra by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday evening. But if NCP attempts to form a government it will hinge on support from Congress and Shiv Sena.
At the time of going to press, Pawar with a delegation of party members was en route to meet the Governor.
In an action packed day, Shiv Sena’s attempts to form a government in Maharashtra received a massive jolt after Koshyari refused to give more time to the party, for garnering support from Congress and NCP. Koshyari’s refusal has put the State politics in a major vortex with political and Constitutional experts pointing towards imminent Presidential rule in the State.
The numbers game
The Shiv Sena had staked claim to power in Maharashtra by leveraging its 56 MLAs, with NCP’s 54 MLAs and Congress party’s 44 MLAs.
The collective strength of the three parties is 154 MLAs, while they require the support of only 145 MLAs to claim a simple majority in the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. But Koshyari’s refusal changes all the maths and equations in Maharashtra politics.
A press statement issued by the Governor’s office said that a delegation from Shiv Sena met the Governor and expressed willingness to form a government in Maharashtra. However, they could not submit the requisite letter of support and sought three more days’ extension of the deadline for submitting it. But the Governor expressed his inability to give any further extensions.
On Sunday after Shiv Sena gave up its claim to form the government in Maharashtra in spite of having the largest number of MLAs, Shiv Sena was invited to form the government again. Shiv Sena was banking on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress party, who have been its arch-rivals to form the government.
However, the Congress party’s high command remained non-committal and sought more time to join hands with the Shiv Sena and the NCP.
Shiv Sena quits NDA
On Monday, the Shiv Sena also finally broke away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance over the government formation in Maharashtra. The party’s minister in Modi cabinet, Arvind Sawant also resigned.
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