Lack of clarity on power split may be factor in Cong delay
Top Congress leaders to reach Mumbai today to discuss contours of possible power-sharing plan
NEWDELHI:MONDAY began with the possibility of a Shiv Sena-led government with support from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress looking bright.
In Delhi, Union heavy industries minister and Sena MP Arvind Sawant resigned from his position, thereby fulfilling one of the NCP’S conditions for backing a Sena-led administration.
In Delhi and Mumbai, top leaders of the three parties got into huddles to discuss modalities of government formation and talks swirled of possible CM faces: Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray or senior leader Eknath Shinde.
As Sawant met reporters in Delhi, his party boss Uddhav Thackeray drove down to the Taj Lands End Hotel in Bandra to meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar to hammer out the finer details of government formation.
By that time, the Congress had already held one round of crucial meetings, and it was widely believed that the party was leaning towards backing a Sena-led formation. One possible formula that was being considered, one senior Congress leader told HT, was that the Sena would have the CM candidate in the form of either Thackeray or Eknath Shinde. The deputy chief minister candidate would be from the NCP, and a senior party leader confirmed that their leading candidate was Pawar’s nephew and former state minister Ajit Pawar.
In the afternoon, Gandhi had a conversation over the phone with Uddhav Thackeray, leaders from both parties confirmed. Thackeray was keen that the Congress join the government, said the aforementioned leaders, but Gandhi remained non-committal.
However, as the second round of meetings began in Delhi in the afternoon — with Mallikarjun
ACCORDING TO PARTY LEADERS, SONIA GANDHI HAD A TELEPHONIC CONVERSATION WITH UDDHAV THACKERAY
Maharashtra Governor invites Shiv Sena to indicate its ability to form the government
Shiv Sena asks its MLAS, camping at The Retreat Hotel in Mumbai, to sign the letter of support
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi chairs a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi. Around the same time, NCP chief Sharad
Pawar calls a meeting of his party’s core committee at his Mumbai residence
Sena chief Uddhav
Kharge, Ahmed Patel, Ashok Chavan and Ashok Gehlot in attendance -- it became clear that the Congress president had not made up her mind.
“What is in the common minimum
Thackeray dispatches his key aides, secretary Milind Narvekar and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai, to New Delhi to hold talks with Congress’s Ahmed Patel
Congress calls its key Maharashtra leaders for a meeting. In Mumbai, state BJP’S core committee meets at the official residence of Devendra Fadnavis
Uddhav Thackeray meets Sharad Pawar at a Bandra hotel. Around the same time, Sena Lok Sabha MP Arvind Sawant resigns as Union minister in New Delhi
Maharashtra Congress leaders join CWC meeting in New Delhi
programme? What will be this government’s agenda?” she reportedly asked leaders who were keen on backing the Sena, according to a senior leader aware of the developments.
Sonia and Uddhav hold a telephonic conversation
A Shiv Sena delegation, led by Aaditya Thackeray, meets Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan
Aaditya tells reporters that they sought more time from the Governor but the request was denied
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan tells reporters in New Delhi that talks with NCP remained inconclusive and they will hold another round of discussions with the NCP chief on Tuesday
9pm: Governor invites NCP to form the government in the state
A second senior Congress leader said that a majority of leaders from the state were in favour of supporting the Sena. Some of them were wary that if President’s Rule is imposed in the state, then some of their legislators may jump ship. But the central leadership was divided over getting on board with a one-time rival with a hard-line Hindutva stance, added the second leader.
During the meeting, Gandhi and Pawar spoke over the phone and it was decided that Kharge and Patel will meet Pawar in Mumbai on Tuesday to hammer out the contours of the plan. “The Congress may ask for the Speaker’s position,” this leader said. As evening fell, it became clear that the Congress was not yet ready to extend support to the Sena, and that it would seek more time to hold negotiations and seek clarity. The party released a statement saying Gandhi had spoken to Pawar for further discussions. “No letter of support has been sent yet,” Congress leader KC Venugopal confirmed.