Are Shiv Sena-NCP coming together to form government in Maharashtra?
Amid the tussle to form government in Maharashtra, sources within Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have told India TV that the NCP MLA are of the opinion that the party should join forces with Shiv Sena to form government in the state. However, there is no official confirmation from either camps and all major players are in a huddle with their MLAs. The BJP has made it clear that it cannot form government in the state as it does not have enough numbers in Maharashtra Assembly. Acting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday to convey the same.
Shic Sena MLAs are currently holed up in a resort in Mumbai. There is a demand from the MLAs that Governor Koshyari should invite Shiv Sena to form government in the state as the party has second largest number of MLAs in assembly after BJP. The Governor on Saturday, invited BJP to form government in the state.
Shiv Sena currently has 56 MLAs in Maharashtra Assembly while NCP has 54 MLAs. Congress has 44 MLAs. If these three come together, with Congress possibly providing external support, the alliance will be able to cross the magic figure of 145 required for simple majority in the assembly.
On Sunday, all camps were strategising. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray told his party MLAs that a 'Shiv Sainik' will sit on the Chief Ministerial post.
The Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar is due to meet his party MLAs on November 12. However, party leaders are conducting meeting to decide plan of action. Prominent NCP leaders like Jitendra Awhad and Nawab Malik met Sharad Pawar at his residence. NCP has said that they will vote against BJP inside assembly if it fails to secure adequate numbers to form the government.
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