Shiv Sena working on Maha govt modalities

As the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress engaged in discussions over the modalities to form a government with the Shiv Sena, the latter’s chief Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting of key leaders to work out its plan for power-sharing with the two parties. Sena leaders deliberated over the formation of a common agenda and possibility of having to share the CM’s post in the new arrangement, senior party functionaries said.

Key leaders and functionaries, including Subhash Desai, Eknath Shinde, Aaditya Thackeray, Anil Desai, Vinayak Raut and Anil Parab, were at Matoshree as the party was working on two fronts—legal and political—to form the next government under the chief ministership of a Sena leader.

Later in the day, the Sena chief along with Aaditya Thackeray went to The Retreat Hotel where the party’s MLAs, including the independent MLAs supporting the Sena, are put up. Thackeray held a discussion with them and assured them that although the President’s rule has been imposed, they will form the government.

Addressing a press conference from the hotel, Thackeray expressed confidence that the three parties—Sena, NCP and Congress—would sit together, prepare a common minimum programme and stake claim to form the government. He said the Sena also needs clarity on the common minimum programme, just like the Congress and the NCP. “The politics could be going in a new direction and it has already begun, people should wait for some time,” Thackeray said. He also took potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party and attacked Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over imposition of the President’s rule in the state.

A party functionary said: “We need to look at different possibilities and scenarios. These are preliminary discussions and no decision was taken.” Sena leaders also discussed the pro-Hindutva stand of the party and if it would have to be toned down if the coalition of the three parties goes through. Thackeray, in the media briefing, said, “Hindutva is the party’s ideology.”

Another party functionary said with three parties working towards forming the government, the post would have to be divided between three parties as opposed to dividing the portfolios between two parties (BJP and Sena).

The Sena also moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday over Maharashtra Governor rejecting its request to give it more time to prove its ability to form the government. “We have moved the Supreme Court today after our request for extension was rejected by the Governor. The BJP, which did not stake claim was given 48 hours, while we were given 24 hours. I have spoken to Kapil Sibal, he will represent us in the matter,” said Anil Parab, Shiv Sena MLC.