Uddhav Thackeray to lead next Maharashtra govt, as Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress form alliance - The News Minute

The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena decided on Friday that Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray would head the Maharashtra government. Speaking to the media after the first joint two-hour meeting of the three parties, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar said, “We all have come to a consensus that Uddhav Thackeray will be the Chief Minister.”

The alliance has decided that Uddhav Thackeray would be set to take over as CM for the next 5 years. He added that Friday's discussions centred around the Common Minimum Programme (CMP), saying that important decisions have been taken in this regard.

However, Uddhav Thackeray has reportedly sought time to think over the proposal and is likely to convey the same to the NCP-Congress later on Friday night or Saturday morning, according to a party source. "Discussions were positive, fruitful," Uddhav Thackeray told the media after the joint meeting of the three parties.

After hectic parleys between NCP and the Congress high command last week, the post-poll alliance was finalised on Friday. Maharashtra Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who was on a weekend trip to Delhi for a conference called by President Ram Nath Kovind, has cancelled the trip as the alliance is planning to stake claim to form the government on Monday.

Out of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP won 105 seats, the NCP won 54 seats, while Congress and Shiv Sena won 44 and 56 respectively. There are 13 elected independent candidates.  

Prior to the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena had come together to contest the elections. However, Sena pulled out of its three-decade-long alliance with the BJP as the latter refused to offer Uddhav Thackeray the Chief Ministership.

When the elections resulted in a hung assembly on October 24, talks between the Congress and Sena seemed unlikely due to ideological differences between the two. On November 12, the Governor recommended President’s rule be imposed in Maharashtra as none of the political parties came forward to stake claim and form the government.

Talks for an unlikely Sena-NCP-Congress alliance gathered momentum after Congress President Sonia Gandhi gave a green signal to party leaders to hold talks with Sena and NCP regarding an alliance.

Sharad Pawar has been the go-between man in the formation of this alliance and had met Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi twice over the last few weeks in connection with the matter.

The Congress, however, delayed its decision in announcing the Chief Ministership, which led Pawar to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. This led to massive speculation that the NCP was looking to form an alliance with the BJP.

Congress leader in charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge met Pawar in Mumbai on Thursday, where discussions of forming an alliance took place. On Friday, the final talks were held and the decision was announced.

Significantly, after the meeting in Nehru Centre, Worli, Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray took an unscheduled visit to the Balasaheb Thackeray National Memorial and paid homage to the Sena founder.

Uddhav Thackeray told the media that he did not want to share "any incomplete information on anything."

"The discussions were held in detail and efforts are on to ensure no issues are left out. Discussions are still on. When everything is finalised, we shall share with you," Uddhav Thackeray said.

Among the constraints being discussed within the Sena is how to prevent two independent power centres from developing if Uddhav Thackeray becomes the Chief Minister -- one at the government level and the other at the party level.

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that Friday's discussions were very positive.

"However, the talks are not yet completed. It will be continued again tomorrow," Chavan said.

NCP leader Praful Patel also spoke on similar lines and said that after everything is finalised, it will be informed to the media.

The proposed 'Maha Vikas Aghadi' comprising the Sena-NCP-Congress is likely to hold a press conference on Saturday where the final details will be shared with the media.

"After the press conference tomorrow, we shall make attempts to stake claim at the earliest possible opportunity," NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

With IANS inputs

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