Even as President’s Rule was declared in Maharashtra, with no parties coming forward to stake claim, allies Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have been holding discussions to finalise the power-sharing formula in a Shiv Sena-led government.

With the Shiv Sena pulling out of NDA and hoping for support from the NCP and the Congress, things have become favourable for the opposition allies.

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Reports have stated that the NCP is aiming at the Chief Minister’s post for half of the term, while the Congress may demand the Speaker’s position.

According to a report in NDTV, the NCP has sought to share the Chief Minister’s position with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party on a rotational basis, as it is just two seats short of the Shiv Sena’s count of 56.

A similar demand was made by the Shiv Sena before the BJP which led to their fallout after the Maharashtra Assembly polls last month.

On the other hand, the top leadership of Congress wants a common minimum programme (CMP) to be firmed up before moving ahead on forging a new political formation in the state.

Congress sources, quoted by IANS, said on Tuesday that consensus first needs to be arrived at between it and coalition partner NCP, after which talks can be held with Shiv Sena on the issue of support.

Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal, who rushed to Mumbai to hold talks with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, were mandated to discuss contours of the alliance and the CMP, the sources said.

There are two views within the Congress. While the state leadership wants partnership in the government, the central leadership is inclined only to extend outside support and bargain for seats for the Upper House in Parliament.

One of the possible scenarios for Congress could be that in case of outside support, it could seek the posts of Assembly Speaker and Chairman of the Legislative Council, which have a key role during a coalition government.

The NCP and the Congress on Tuesday indicated that they were not in a hurry to form a non-BJP government in Maharashtra as they have to sort out issues among themselves and their allies before extending support to Shiv Sena.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that the imposition of President’s Rule has given the two allies enough time to discuss and decide on power-sharing.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday afternoon recommended President’s Rule in the state after none of the three parties, whom the Governor had invited to stake claim, showed an intent to form the government within the stipulated time.