After Shiv Sena failed to get 48 hours’ extension to stake claim to form the government in Maharashtra, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday invited Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the third in line in the number of seats to form the government.
Mumbai: Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and other Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. #Maharashtrahttps://t.co/l3ZMxClX63 pic.twitter.com/vqUhtZ5USl
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) November 11, 2019
NCP leader Nawab Malik told ANI that the party will hold discussions with ally Congress and see how a stable govt can be provided to the state.
NCP leader Jayant Patil said: “As per the procedure Governor has given us the letter (to stake claim to form a government) being the 3rd largest party in Maharashtra. We suggested him that we’ll have to talk to our allies and we’ll get back to him as early as possible. Deadline is 8.30 pm tomorrow.”
#JayantPatil, NCP: As per the procedure Governor has given us the letter (to stake claim to form govt) being the 3rd largest party in #Maharashtra. We suggested him that we’ll have to talk to our allies&we’ll get back to him as early as possible. Deadline is 8.30 pm tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/iTOEXTviBY
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) November 11, 2019
Earlier in the evening, the Governor rejected Shiv Sena’s request for 48 hours’ extension to stake claim to form the government in the state. However, Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray, who met the Governor today, said that the Governor did not reject their claim to form the government.
In a press briefing after meeting the Governor, Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray, said: “We told the Governor that we’re willing to form the government. We asked him for at least 2 days time but we weren’t given time. The claim (to form a government) wasn’t denied but the time was. We’ll continue to put in efforts to form govt in the state.”
.@AUThackeray, Shiv Sena: We told the Guv that we’re willing to form the govt. We asked him for at least 2 days time but we weren’t given time. The claim (to form govt) wasn’t denied but the time was. We’ll continue to put in efforts to form govt in the state. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/ZEpMWZL2e1
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) November 11, 2019
“Both parties (Congress-NCP) have been speaking to us, MLAs have been speaking to us. As talks are on, as 2nd largest party it was our right to come here,” he added.
Besides, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had a telephonic conversation with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi in the evening.
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On the other hand, Congress declared that the party would need more discussions with the NCP chief Sharad Pawar to support Shiv Sena.
“The Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) has spoken with Sharad Pawar. The party will have further discussion with NCP,” Congress said in a statement.
The governor on Sunday invited Shiv Sena to form the government after the BJP told him that it cannot form the government at present.