MUMBAI: The political pendulum swung wildly on Monday with the Shiv Sena losing the plot by failing to produce letters of support from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress within the 7.30 pm deadline, and Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari inviting the NCP to take its shot at government formation.
Maharashtra appears to be heading for President’s Rule, as the Governor is going through the motions of giving each party a chance, as he is Constitutionally mandated to do, but offering a very slim window.
The day began with the Sena officially exiting the NDA, with its minister in the Modi cabinet, Arvind Sawant, putting in his papers.
The NCP then got into a huddle though its leaders complained that the 24-hour time frame was too short.
The party concluded its meeting by noon and said it shall hand over its letter of support to the Sena only after the Congress does so.
The drama then shifted to Jaipur where most of the Congress MLAs from Maharashtra have been lodged. Sources said quite a few of them were in favour of joining a Sena-led government.
But the party high command was not okay with it.
The scene then shifted to Delhi where all prominent Congress leaders from Maharashtra began a meeting with the Congress Working Committee around 4 pm.
Though aware of the 7.30 pm deadline, Congress could not make up its mind by then.
“The party will have further discussions with the NCP,” said a bland statement issued by the Congress after the meeting.
In Mumbai, a Sena delegation led by Aditya Thackeray reached Raj Bhavan to express its willingness to form the government and sought three more days to produce the letters of support from the allies. However, the Governor rejected the request.
According to Congress sources, the deal got stuck as they failed to reach a consensus on the Assembly Speaker and ministerial berths.
Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Congress organisation secretary KC Venugopal and Maharashtra in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge will meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Pawar has time till 8.30 pm to show his ability to form the government.
