NCP, Cong back Sena’s Uddhav to lead Maha govt
Three parties working on 16-15-12 power-share formula, say leaders
MUMBAI: The three-party coalition in Maharashtra, which has been in the making for the last few weeks, will be formed under the leadership of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar said after the three allies — Shiv Sena, NCP a n d Congr e s s — h u d d l e d together in Mumbai on Friday to finalise the coalition.
Emerging from the first-ever marathon meeting of top leaders of the Congress, the NCP and the Sena on Friday, Pawar said there was a consensus on Thackeray being the chief minister. He said the meeting at Nehru Centre in central Mumbai deliberated extensively on finalising an agenda for governance.
“There is unanimity on the name of Uddhav Thackeray for the chief minister’s post. Now, he must take it up,” Pawar said.
On his part, Thackeray briefly said that the discussions were held in detail and efforts are on to ensure no issues are left out.
The proposed Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the SenaNcp-congress is likely to hold a press conference on Saturday where the final details will be shared with the media.
“After the press conference on Friday, we shall make attempts to stake claim at the earliest possible o p p o r t u n i t y , ” NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
According to a blueprint that is expected to be sealed at the meeting, the Shiv Sena and NCP will get 16 and 15 berths respectively while the Congress will have to settle for 12 berths in the council of ministers to be led by the Sena. A Congress leader confirmed the arrangement.
“What is important is the government runs for five years, people’s sentiments are respected...our priority to form the government at the earliest,” he said.
The tripartite meeting followed two internal meetings of Congress and the Shiv Sena leaders among themselves. The Congress meeting is to decide its legislative party leader. At his meeting, Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray briefed party legislators about the political developments and the party’s decision to form a coalition government along with NCP and Congress. The Sena, which will get to decide the chief minister hasn’t named anyone yet. Thackeray was told by his lawmakers at this meeting that he should assume this responsibility.
The NCP and Congress — who had contested last month’s election as pre-poll allies — had also called a meeting of their smaller allies — Samajwadi Party, Swabhimani Paksha, Peasants and Workers Party, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi — on Friday. The meeting was called to bring consensus among the allies on the new political equation in the state, said a NCP leader.
“We will give final touches to the power-sharing formula today. We will also decide the date on which stake will he claimed to form the government,” Congress leader Manikrao Thakre had said before the meeting.
As Uddhav appeared to be hours away from forming a new government without its former