LIVE: Maha Congress leaders meet Sonia; discuss political situation

23:19 November 01

Maharashtra Congress leaders meet Sonia; discuss political situation

Amid delay in the formation of a new government in Maharashtra following differences between the BJP and Shiv Sena on power-sharing, state Congress leaders including Balasaheb Thorat and Prithviraj Chavan met party chief Sonia Gandhi and discussed the political situation in the state.

Coming out of the meeting, Thorat, who is the state Congress chief, said they briefed her about the party's performance in the state in the assembly elections.

"We briefed the party president all about the elections. We also briefed her about the present political situation in the state," he said.

Chavan, a former chief minister of the state, said the outcome of assembly polls was discussed in the meeting. The Congress finished fourth in the polls behind BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP.

"A delegation of state leaders briefed the leadership. A threadbare discussion was held with the leadership including Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, AK Antony and others about the outcome of elections, narrow defeats and narrow victories. We also discussed the current political situation," Chavan said.

He said that the national leadership of Congress party will brief the media on the Maharashtra situation when appropriate times come.

"Our national leadership will brief when appropriate times comes," he said.

20:26 November 01

Fadnavis would be Maha's CM: Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre on Friday expressed hope that Devendra Fadnavis would again be the chief minister of Maharashtra.

"Maharashtra's Chief Minister will be Devendra Fadnavis because we have already elected him as the leader of the party in the state assembly."
 

 

18:32 November 01

No such instruction from party High Command: Congress' Wadettiwar on alliance with Sena

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar said that the party High command is yet to take a decision on a possible alliance with the Shiv Sena.

"We are simply waiting and watching the developments at the moment. We haven't received any such instruction (alliance with Shiv Sena) from our High command yet. We will act as per the directives issued by our High Command, " said Wadettiwar.

18:19 November 01

We are just waiting and watching at the moment: Balasaheb Thorat

Balasaheb Bhausaheb Thorat, Chief of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) said, "We are just waiting and watching at the moment. BJP and Shiv Sena are engaged in a power tussle."
 

16:01 November 01

Ashok Chavan blames BJP for political impasse in Maha

Congress leader Ashok Chavan accused Bharatiya Janta Party of triggering a political crisis in Maharashtra as it failed to keep the promises it made to its allies.

"BJP is responsible for the political impasse in Maharashtra. It has failed at keeping its allies together. It has also failed at fulfilling the promises it made to its allies. All these factors combined have led to the present political crisis in Maharashtra. We are waiting and watching all the developments at the moment."
 

15:27 November 01

Cong brushes away reports of alliance with Sena

Denying reports suggesting chances of an alliance with Shiv Sena, Maharashtra PCC chief Balasaheb Thorat said, "We don't have any such strategy."

"BJP is responsible for the differences in their alliance with Shiv Sena. If they've given some commitment to Shiv Sena, they should've fulfilled it," said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar.

15:07 November 01

Prez rule in Maha if no govt in place by Nov 7: Mungantiwar

Maharashtra may head for President's rule if the new government in the state is not in place by November 7, Finance Minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar said today.

The tenure of the existing Legislative Assembly ends on November 8.

He claimed that the delay in talks between BJP and Sena was due to the Diwali festival, adding parleys will start in a day or two.

14:15 November 01

Maha Cong leaders meet KC Venugopal

Senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, Manikrao Thackeray, and Vijay Wadettivar met General Secretary KC Venugopal at the National Capital today.

14:11 November 01

Sanjay Nirupam cautions Cong against supporting Shiv Sena

Disgruntled Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who kept away from the campaigning during the Maharashtra Assembly elections, today cautioned his party not to support the Shiv Sena in forming the next government in the state.

"With the ref of my earlier tweet, I reiterate Congress should not get into #ShivSenaBJP drama. It's fake. It's their temporary fight to grab more power share. They will be together again and will keep abusing us. How can some Congress leaders think of supporting Shiv Sena? Have they lost it?" tweeted Nirupam.

"To the best of my understanding, #ShivSena will never ever come out of the shadow of #BJP. So, there is no point in flirting with them. It's going to be a futile exercise. Hope the state leaders will realise the truth," he earlier wrote on Twitter.

13:22 November 01

Malik said BJP-Sena had the people's mandate

Will try to form govt if Sena-BJP can't prove majority: NCP leader

Reacting to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's statement, NCP leader Nawab Malik said, "BJP-Shiv-Sena have got the people's mandate to form a stable government in Maharashtra. We want them to form govt and prove majority on the floor of the House. If they are not able to prove majority, then, we will certainly try to form the government."

11:57 November 01

Sena not averse to NCP option, BJP not giving up CM post: Sources

According to sources, the Shiv Sena has been putting pressure on BJP, giving clear indications that they are not averse to the option of allying with NCP. Sources said that the BJP High Command has made it clear that it will not compromise on the Chief Minister post, but has offered Shiv Sena the Deputy CM post along with 13 ministerial berths.

Sources also said that the BJP has directed its spokespersons not to talk against Shiv Sena and avoid questions on the alliance.

10:11 November 01

Shiv Sena can get numbers to form stable govt: Raut

Senior Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut said, "If Shiv Sena decides, it will get the required numbers to form stable government in the state. People have given mandate to form government on basis of 50-50 formula that was reached in front of people of Maharashtra.They want Chief Minister from Shiv Sena."

08:57 November 01

Maha Cong leaders to meet Sonia today

Senior Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Vijay N Wadettiwar, Manikrao Thakre will reportedly meet Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi today.

07:38 November 01

BJP mulls two deputy CMs in Maharashtra to break logjam

With the Shiv Sena acting tough on government formation in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is mulling an idea of two deputy Chief Ministers to accommodate the ally as well as take care of the Maratha sentiment.

"Considering the present situation in the state, the party (BJP) is planning to have two deputy Chief Ministers -- one from the Sena and another a Maratha belonging to the BJP," a senior BJP functionary was quoted by reports.

The BJP is facing trouble from the Sena over formation of Maharashtra government even a week after the Assembly election results. The Sena is demanding rotation of Chief Ministership after two-and-a-half years.

The BJP and the Sena contested the Assembly polls together. The BJP has won 104 seats and the Sena 56 seats in the 288-member House.

Mounting pressure on the BJP, the Sena on Thursday elected Eknath Shinde, a Maratha, as the legislature party leader. It's being seen by the BJP as the Sena's readiness to accept the deputy Chief Minister's post, and keep Aaditya Thackeray, son of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, for a bigger future role.