Reports also say that the Union Cabinet is meeting to make a decision on Governor's recommendation shortly. An official confirmation on the development is, however, awaited.
The Shiv Sena on Monday suffered a setback in its efforts to cobble up a non-BJP government in Maharashtra with the Congress at the last moment announcing its decision to hold more talks with ally NCP on supporting the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
"Congress leadership always puts their party before the nation. In Lok Sabha, they stubbornly refused regional alliances and helped BJP sweep. Now they are giving Maharashtra on a platter to the BJP. It's moribund attitude will decimate it soon," Menon tweeted.
The Sena is trying to form a non-BJP government in the state with the support of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). On Monday night, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party could not submit the requisite letter of support to the governor.
The two leaders postponed their visit after NCP chief Sharad Pawar conveyed that state leaders of both the parties will first discuss the "terms and conditions" of government formation, former Maharashtra Congress president Manikrao Thakare told PTI.
Maharashtra Government Formation LIVE Updates: President's Rule has been imposed in Maharashtra after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the recommendation made by Governor BS Koshyari. Congress and NCP were still undecided about supporting Shiv Sena even by Tuesday evening.
As the 7.30 pm deadline ended for Shiv Sena, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday night invited the NCP asking it to express "willingness and ability to form government". State unit NCP president Jayant Patil said the party will discuss the issue with Congress and get back to the governor by 8:30 pm on Tuesday.
The decision of the Maharashtra party to snap ties came following years of unease in the alliance and reached a flash point after the recent assembly election results, with the Sena accusing the BJP of breaking "promise" of equal division of power in the state.
The Congress, which held marathon meetings during the day, issued a statement saying it will hold "further discussion" with its alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which was all inclined to support the Shiv Sena in the state.
A resort in the Rajasthan capital has become one of the centres of power play amid efforts to form the government in Maharashtra. Since Friday evening, the new Congress MLAs are holed up at the resort on Delhi Road near here while party leaders discuss whether to support the Shiv Sena claim to power in Maharashtra.
Amid a flurry of meetings in the national capital and in Mumbai, the NCP has said that it will decide on whether to support a Shiv Sena-led government in coordination with its ally the Congress
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari earlier invited the Shiv Sena, which has 56 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, to stake claim to form a government by 7.30 pm on Monday. Koshyari invited the Shiv Sena after the BJP, the single largest party with 105 seats, decided against staking claim to form government in the state.
After meeting Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar to speak to Sonia Gandhi
Sources said NCP chief Sharad Pawar may also meet the Congress president on Monday to discuss the possibility of the two parties supporting a Sena-led government. Kharge had earlier said in Jaipur that his party has "accepted" the public mandate to it to sit in the opposition in the state.
Maharashtra Congress leaders will arrive in Delhi Monday evening, wherein a decision and a formal announcement on supporting the Shiv Sena is expected.
Amid power tussle in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena, BJP's oldest ally on Monday said it is breaking all ties with the party and said it is looking forward to forming the government with the support of the NCP and the Congress. Shiv Sena is to meet the Governor at 2:30 pm. Sources have confirmed that Shiv Sena and NCP have been in discussions behind the scenes since last two days.
Congress CWC meeting at Sonia Gandhi's residence has ended. As per reports, Congress could offer support to Shiv Sena to form the government.
The BJP, which is the single largest party in the state with 105 seats, on Sunday decided against staking claim to form government for want of adequate numbers. The governor then invited the second largest party Shiv Sena, which has been at loggerheads with the BJP over sharing the chief minister's post.
Maharashtra Government Formation: 18 days after the people's mandate was out in Maharashtra, who will be the Chief Minister is still anyone's guess.
As the political turmoil in Maharashtra intensifies, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party and said the BJP is ready to sit in the Opposition but is reluctant to abide by the 50:50 formula which was decided upon during the Lok Sabha polls. "There is no point continuing alliance with BJP if it can't keep its promise," Sanjay Raut said.
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