Unlikely allies Cong-Sena-NCP hold first joint meet to discuss Maha future

On Friday, Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress leaders met for the first time to discuss issues pertaining to the formulation of a Common Minimum Programme (CMP). While Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai were Sena’s representatives, Prithviraj Chavan, Manikrao Thakre and Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress and NCP’s Chhagan Bhujbal, Nawab Malik and Jayant Patil participated in the meeting. This follows the joint committee meeting of Congress and NCP leaders on Wednesday, a day when a Congress delegation also met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Read: Meeting Or No Meeting? Chavan & Pawar Say No, Then Cong-NCP Pics Surface

Read: 'Will Discuss Invite With Cong,' Says NCP After Duo Leave Sena Nowhere

'Information was not given to him'

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion that Devendra Fadnavis was the Chief Ministerial candidate of the alliance. Raut maintained that Shah had promised the rotational CM formula in Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s room. Stating that his party respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raut claimed that Shah did not convey important information to the former.  

He said, "It was Balasaheb's (Thackeray) room, where Uddhav and Amit Shah decided. It is a temple for us and talks were held in that temple. If they say they never discussed such things, it is an insult to Balasaheb. We swear on him and if they had said anything else, they should better disclose it. We can never forget whatever was discussed in that temple." "We respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, what happened in the meeting between Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray, it's information was not given to him," Raut added.  

Read: Congress Tightlipped On NCP & Sena Discussions, Says 'there's No Problem'

Possibility of President's Rule

Since the breakdown of the Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra, no party has been able to garner enough numbers to form the government. President’s Rule was imposed in the state on Tuesday after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari reckoned that it was impossible to constitute a stable government. Hectic parlays have been going on in Shiv Sena, BJP and Congress camps to work out a post-poll alliance for government formation. 

Read: BJP Gives Tickets To 13 Congress-JD(S) Rebel MLAs For Assembly Bypolls In Karnataka