Maharashtra govt formation: Governor invites NCP to form government

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut is confident that his party will give a stable government to Maharashtra. On Monday, he said, "The chief minister in Maharashtra will be from the Shiv Sena. We will give a stable government."

He added that all parties need to forget their differences and work on a common minimum programme.

Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, KC Venugopal, and Mallikarjun Kharge are among those attending the core group meeting of the Congress at party interim President Sonia Gandhi's residence, over the political situation in Maharashtra.

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has warned against any kind of arrangement with the Shiv Sena. In a tweet on Monday morning, Nirupam said he expected political instability in the state irrespective of who formed the government and prophesied that snap elections could be held some time next year and asked his party if the Congress could really face an election with rival Sena as an alliance partner.

No matter who forms govt and how ? But the political instability in Maharashtra can not be ruled out now. Get ready for early elections. It may take place in 2020.
Can we go to the elections with ShivSena as partner ?

— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) 11 November 2019

The Congress has called a meeting at party president Sonia Gandhi’s residence in Delhi. The Congress has 44 seats in the Maharashtra assembly.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut arrives at party chief Uddhav Thackeray's residence in Mumbai.

Maharashtra: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut arrives at party chief Uddhav Thackeray's residence in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/q4enQZqU0X

— ANI (@ANI) 11 November 2019

Hours after Shiv Sena minister Arvind Sawant quit the Union cabinet, senior party leader Sanjay Raut said if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not willing to fulfil its promise of sharing the chief minister’s post in Maharashtra there was no point in continuing the alliance.

Raut said the BJP’s “arrogance” has led to the current political situation in Maharashtra. He said it’s time now for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to “walk the talk” on keeping the BJP out of power.

“I heard the statements of BJP leaders where they blamed Shiv Sena for not being able to form government. It is wrong. The BJP is ready to sit in the opposition but doesn’t intend to give Sena what was promised. It is their arrogance. It is insult of people of Maharashtra,” said Raut.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, on the governor's invite to the party to 'indicate willingness to form government in Maharashtra, said, "It would have been easy if Governor had given us more time. BJP was given 72 hours; we've been given lesser time. It's a strategy of BJP to impose President's rule in state."