Sharad Pawar finally states intent: 'Sena-Cong-NCP will form Maha govt for 5 years'

In a major development in the ongoing Maharashtra government formation, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has stated that a Sena-NCP-Congress government will be formed which will run for 5 years while addressing reporters in Nagpur. The NCP Supremo is currently meeting farmers in Chargaon village, Nagpur to assess crop damage and will meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the weekend to finalise the CMP. Meanwhile, former CM Devendra Fadnavis has declared to his MLAs that BJP will form the government, as per sources.

READ | Trouble already? Sonia Gandhi miffed with Maha Cong for Sena reachout before Cong-NCP pact

Sonia Gandhi miffed with Maha Congress leaders

Meanwhile,  Congress interim-chief Sonia Gandhi is allegedly unhappy with Maharashtra Congress state leaders, as per sources. Gandhi, who was in a meeting with senior Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, KC Venugopal has allegedly expressed her disapproval of state leaders contacting Sena before ironing out a pact with NCP, as per sources. NCP's Nawab Malik has revealed that Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress leaders are set to meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Saturday at 3 PM.

WATCH | Sena-NCP-Congress leaders to meet Maharashtra Governor on Saturday; CMP draft finalised

Sena gets CM post

Earlier in the day, sources have reported that the Sena-NCP-Congress alliance has decided on a formula, with the Sena retaining the CM post for all 5 years. Sources further report that the cabinet will be split with Sena getting 16 portfolios, NCP -14 and Congress will get 12 berths. Sources report that the party chiefs Uddhav Thackeray, Sonia Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar will take the final call on the Common Minimum Programme worked out. But Malik has confirmed that Sena will be given the CM post.

READ | Shiv Sena to get CM post for 5 years, cabinet portfolios split decided : Sources

CMP finalised, Sena breaks from NDA

Earlier on Thursday, the final draft of CMP was prepared in the joint meeting of the leaders from the three parties.  Congress' Prithviraj Chavan, Manikrao Thakre and Vijay Wadettiwar, Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai and NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal, Nawab Malik and Jayant Patil met in Mumbai to decide the portfolios split, target issues. etc. Meanwhile, Sena and BJP's Maharashtra battle reached a national level as Sena's 18 Lok Sabha MPs too decided on Thursday to boycott the all MPs meeting on November 17 prior to the Winter session of the Parliament. On the other hand, Former CM Devendra Fadnavis has stated that 'Three parties can not run a government. There is no alternative to BJP government,' hinting at re-elections.

READ | NCP confirms giving CM post to Sena, says 'keeping Sena's pride our responsibility'

President's rule in Maharashtra

President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra on Tuesday after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was satisfied that none of the parties - Shiv Sena, BJP, Congress, and NCP could not form a stable government. Sena which initially challenged the move in the Supreme Court has put a hold on its plea, as the three parties try to stitch an alliance to form the next government. The Mahayuti alliance fell out with the  Sena insisting an equal sharing of CM post for 2.5 years and portfolios, while BJP refused to these demands. The saffron alliance swept Maharashtra on October 24, winning a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56), while the 'Maha- Agadhi' alliance (NCP-54, Congress-44) bagged 98 seats in total. The halfway mark is 145.