New Delhi: Decks appear to have been cleared for formation of a Shiv Sena-led coalition government in Maharashtra, as early as next week, with Congress President Sonia Gandhi deciding finally to be part of the new dispensation, ending the lingering uncertainty because of her indecisiveness.
Just an hour before the crucial NCP-Congress meeting in the evening at Sharad Pawar's residence, which proved to be decisive, Sonia held a short meeting with Congress leaders at her residence. The final decision was conveyed by AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel to Pawar.
The Congress and the NCP leaders have decided to leave it to the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to decide who will be the chief minister, though they have also conveyed it to him that the best thing would be for himself to take over the reins.
The Congress sources said it was also left to Uddhav to determine the number of berths that will go to each party in the ministry, though there is a suggestion to have a deputy CM each from the Congress and the NCP.
On the basis of the strength of the respective parties, the Sena may have 16 ministers, NCP 14 and Congress 12.A new player at the meeting at Pawar's residence was Congress MP Jairam Ramesh (65) who was reportedly asked by Sonia to revise the CMP draft and give it the final touches, taking care of the reservations of some Congress veterans who were opposed to having any truck with the Shiv Sena.
Jairam kept making changes in the draft CMP on his I-Pad as every point was examined threadbare leading to the meeting continuing for over two hours.
The final draft is to be handed over to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday itself to secure his nod.Though any changes that Thackeray demands will require another NCP-Congress meeting, Congress sources said he has already conveyed that he would go by whatever is finalised in Delhi, since he has already gone through the first draft and finds nothing objectionable.
"Our whole purpose is to provide an honest and stable government to Maharashtra and undo the damage caused in the last five years by the BJP-dominated dispensation and there is full agreement on this among all three parties," an NCP leader said.
Sources rubbished the report aired by some TV channels that Ajit Pawar has broken away with a sizeable number of NCP MLAs to resurrect the second BJP government.
The NCP leader said Ajit Pawar had participated in the meeting and gave suggestions on the draft CMP. Why should he revolt when he is tipped to be one of the two deputy chief Sharad The meeting was chaired jointly by Pawar and Ahmed Patel.
Still some grey areas
With the Congress one is never too sure. Half an hour after the NCP-Congress meeting, former CM Prithviraj Chavan of the Congress held a joint press conference with NCP’s Nawab Malik to announce that the meeting was inconclusive as some aspects of the alliance are still to be discussed, but they will conclude it either late Wednesday night or on Thursday.
Malik said no government can be formed in Maharashtra without the three parties coming together. He said both parties are concerned that the administration is paralysed and farmers are suffering for want of a government and so their efforts are to give the new alternate government to Maharashtra as early as possible.
