Even as it seemed that Maharashtra would finally be getting a new government on Monday, the turn of events have put the state back to square one for the meanwhile as Congress has said that it requires more time, ostensibly to decide on whether or not to extend support to the Shiv Sena, the party which looks set to stake its claim to form the government.
Congress, on Monday evening, issued a statement after holding a closed-door meeting chaired by party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi.
“The Congress Working Committee met this morning (Monday) and had a detailed discussion on the situation in Maharashtra after which consultation was held with Maharashtra Congress leaders. The Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) has spoken to Sharad Pawar. The party will have further discussion with the NCP,” read the statement.
“Neither ours nor NCP’s letter has gone to Maharashtra Governor yet. It has been decided that two leaders will be sent for discussions with Pawar sa’ab (Sharad Pawar), state leaders will also be there. The next step will be taken after the discussion,” Manikrao Thackeray of Congress was quoted as saying by ANI.
Earlier in the day, Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena supremo, had called Sonia Gandhi seeking her support to form the government in the state.
The same day, a high-level Shiv Sena delegation comprising Aditya Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, and other senior party leaders met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan to stake their claim to form the government.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had invited the Shiv Sena to form the government in Maharashtra after the BJP declined the offer saying that it did not have the required numbers to stake claim to form the government.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting on Monday morning over government formation in Maharashtra which has witnessed a lot of political drama since the results for the state assembly elections were announced on October 24.