After weeks of negotiations, the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress seem to have cleared the obstacles that hindered the three parties from joining hands and forming government in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut said letters of support from the MLAs of all three parties will be handed over to the Governor on Saturday. A joint meeting of the Sena, NCP and the Congress will take place in Mumbai to finalise the alliance. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP's Sharad Pawar are likely to join the meeting for discussions on power sharing.
Congress's top decision-making body met at party chief Sonia Gandhi's home this morning to discuss the possibility of being part of the government in the state. Sources say Sonia Gandhi was advised to "go ahead" with the Maharashtra alliance, despite her reservations, and told that the "greater enemy, in order to fight communalism, is the BJP". Final talks may take place in Mumbai.
Sena's Sanjay Raut, who has been the face of the party over the last weeks, later gave a rough time frame, saying the state could have a government after the negotiations are over in "two to five days".
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi had been reluctant to join hands with the Shiv Sena, which has for years targeted the party and maintains a pro-Hindutva stand.
Shiv Sena fell out with long-time ally BJP after the two won the Maharashtra election together.
Here are the highlights on developments over Maharashtra government formation:
A complaint of "cheating" has been filed against Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and two other leaders in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district for seeking votes in the name of Hindutva, but not forming government with pre-poll ally BJP, an official said.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will not "blindly oppose" the Congress' move to form government with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, said its national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty said.
Shiv Sena MPs will meet at the Thackerays' residence Matoshree in Mumbai on Friday. Earlier in the day, the Congress and the NCP held separate meetings with its top central and state leaders. They have also been in touch with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
"Congress and the NCP have discussed all issues. There is complete unanimity between the two parties": Prithviraj Chavan, Senior Congress leader #Maharashtragovernmentformation pic.twitter.com/UI8Xn3vfOG
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 21, 2019
Delhi: KC Venugopal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Ahmed Patel, AK Antony and other Congress leaders arrive at Sonia Gandhi's residence for Congress Working Committee meet.
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 21, 2019
(Photos: ANI) pic.twitter.com/kAHo7asfUV
Maharashtra Government Formation: Why Sonia Gandhi Has Kept Shiv Sena Waiting Despite Pressure From WithinAn urgent meeting of Congress Working Committee will be held today, Thursday the 21st November, 2019 at 9.15 am at 10, Janpath, New Delhi. @INCIndia
- K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) November 21, 2019
