MUMBAI: Though the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena were said to have reached an agreement over the ‘Common Minimum Program’ (CMP), the government formation in Maharashtra still remains elusive.
Joint meeting of leaders from all the three parties with Governor BS Koshyari was cancelled on Saturday while confusion prevails over NCP Chief’s proposed meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The issue of Maharashtra government formation is likely to be discussed at a meeting of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and Congress leaders in Delhi on Monday or Tuesday even as their third partner, the Shiv Sena, will be busy showing off its strength here in Mumbai on the occasion of seventh death anniversary of its founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
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Speculations were high that claim would be staked for government formation when leaders from the three parties hold a joint meeting with the governor on Saturday.
Shiv Sena had expressed its desire several times in the past to have its Chief Minister sworn in on the death anniversary of the party’s most charismatic leader Sunday, November 17.
Hence, the meeting was viewed as a show of strength by the parties trying to cobble together an unlikely alliance and form the government in the state.
However, the meeting was postponed indefinitely.
“A joint delegation of Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress was to meet Governor BS Koshyari at 4.30 pm today. However, when it was realised that the important leaders of all the parties were busy either in their respective constituencies furnishing expenditure details to the election commission or on tour to distant locations to take stock of the damage to crops due to unseasonal rains, the plan for joint meeting was cancelled. We shall seek a fresh appointment with the governor sometime very soon,” Shiv Sena legislative party leader Eknath Shinde said in a statement released here this evening.
The NCP core committee leaders, meanwhile, would huddle at the party chief Sharad Pawar’s Modi Baug residence in Shivajinagar area of Pune on Sunday.
On Saturday morning, the political circles were abuzz when turncoat BJP MLA from Maan in Satara district Jaykumar Gore was spotted in the Modi Baug area.
However, Gore clarified that he was on a personal visit along with his family and didn’t know that Pawar stays in the area.
Pawar too said that he was unaware about Gore visiting Modi Baug.
According to earlier information, Pawar was scheduled to meet and discuss government formation and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi at Delhi on Sunday evening.
However, Mumbai party Chief Nawab Malik, on Saturday evening, in an indication that the fate of government formation hangs in uncertainty, clarified that no such meeting was scheduled and Pawar will now meet other Congress leaders on Monday or Tuesday.
According to AICC secretary Rajeev Satav, a decision on government formation in Maharashtra will be taken after the Congress party’s ongoing meeting of AICC general secretaries, secretaries and state presidents.
“Leaders from Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP have had several meetings and discussions over the past couple of days. State Congress president Balasaheb Thorat will now meet AICC General Secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge and will give a briefing and discuss the future strategy. After the meeting, the issues related to the formation of the government in Maharashtra will be deliberated,” Satav told reporters in Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has prepared for a grand show of strength on Bala Saheb Thackeray’s Seventh death anniversary on Sunday.
Thousands of Shiv Sena workers are expected to come to pay respects at the Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Sunday.
All requisite arrangements have been made, said senior Shiv Sena leader and a minister in Devendra Fadnavis cabinet for past five years Diwakar Raote.
When asked whether Fadnavis will attend the program tomorrow, Raote said the party has not invited anybody and anyone who wants to pay respects to Balasaheb can come and do so.
Meanwhile, Governor Koshyari on Saturday announced a relief of Rs. 8000 per hectare up to 2 hectares for Kharif crops and relief of Rs 18,000 per hectare up to 2 hectares for horticulture or perennial crops, following damage to crops by unseasonal rains during Oct-Nov.
He also announced exemption of land revenue to the affected area and exemption of examination fee of school and colleges to the wards of farmers whose crops suffered damages.
The Governor also directed the state administration to disburse relief immediately, a statement released by Raj Bhavan said here.