With the impasse on government formation in Maharashtra continuing even a fortnight after Assembly poll results, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has changed his stance on Shiv Sena within days.
Not a long time back, on October 26, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had ruled out his party supporting the Shiv Sena to keep the BJP away from power. "This is not an option before us. People have asked us to sit in the Opposition. We have accepted that mandate," Pawar said after state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat met him at his residence at Baramati in Pune district, reported India Today.
"After a good showing in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the NCP will focus on creating a good pool of leaders," the NCP supremo had said. "We want to create a good pool of leaders. I am more concerned about agriculture, industries and unemployment. We want to focus on public concerns. So we have no interest in other things," he said.
"If the Sena wants the support of the Congress and NCP they must first announce that they are ending ties with the BJP and they are out of the NDA. Their ministers need to quit the council of ministers," NCP's Nawab Malik said on Monday. Meanwhile, party head Pawar maintained that "Whatever decision is to be taken will be taken only after discussions with the Congress.
The NCP-Congress fought the Maharashtra election against Shiv Sena. However, in the view of Shiv Sena-BJP wrangling, some of the MLAS of the two parties are believed to have conveyed their "willingness" to ally with Uddhav Thackeray's party. But the leaderships - Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi -- of the two parties have to find a new logic for sudden change of stance for supporting the Shiv Sena.
However, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in a meeting with Sharad Pawar ruled out the possibility of supporting the Sena. But in a meeting with Sharad Pawar, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had ruled out supporting the Shiv Sena.
The BJP won 105 seats in last month's Maharashtra election. Along with the Sena's 56, the NDA had a clear majority. But the Sena refused to form government with the BJP without a "50:50" deal including rotational chief ministership. After the BJP withdrew from the race, saying it could not form a government on its own, the Sena is looking to take power with the support of the NCP (54) and Congress (44).
(Inputs from Agencies)
