The confusion which has clouded the political scenario of Maharashtra for around a month following the declaration of assembly election results may finally clear by the end of this week.
As the common minimum programme finally takes shape, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have come closer to form the government in Maharashtra with their ideological rival Shiv Sena.
While the Congress has said a final decision regarding the formation of government in Maharashtra will be announced on Friday, the Shiv Sena on Thursday set a two-day deadline for the crucial announcement and said a new government should be in place before December.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT IN MUMBAI
A day after it held a marathon meeting with the NCP on forming an alliance together with Shiv Sena to form a government in the state, the Congress Working Committee on Thursday reviewed the political scenario in Maharashtra.
Following the CWC meet, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal told the media after a meeting at party chief Sonia Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence that the CWC was briefed on the discussion between NCP and Congress on Wednesday.
Congress sources said a final decision on Maharashtra is expected by Friday.
The CWC, the sources said, has broadly agreed to go ahead with government formation with Shiv Sena and the NCP. Another meeting between Congress and NCP is to happen on Thursday night and a final meeting with Shiv Sena will happen Friday in Mumbai. The decision on government formation in Maharashtra will be announced in Mumbai on Friday, the sources said.
FINAL DECISION ON MAHA GOVT IN 2 DAYS: SANJAY RAUT
A final decision on the new government in Maharashtra will be taken in the next two days, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Thursday.
He told reporters that there there are no plans of any meeting between Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray this week.
Sanjay Raut has emerged as the key leader to hold discussions with the NCP-Congress combine.
"Yesterday's (Wednesday) meeting was on the Common Minimum Programme and leaders of the two parties (NCP and Congress) have said the deliberations were positive. In a day or two, the three parties will reach a consensus. Maharashtra will get a stable government led by Shiv Sena before December," Raut said.
"In the interest of the state and its people, we want to run the government and that too for five years."
WHO WILL BE THE CHIEF MINISTER OF MAHARASHTRA
The Shiv Sena still remains tight-lipped on who will be the chief minister from it.
"You will come to know about it very soon. But all Shiv Sainiks and people of the state want Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister," Raut said.
On NCP's demand that the chief minister's post has to be on a rotational basis, Sanjay Raut said he "did not" have any information on that.
THE STALEMATE IN MAHARASHTRA
On October 24, when the results of Maharashtra Assembly Election 2019 were announced, BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 105 seats while Shiv Sena got 56 seats.
Together, the alliance partners had a comfortable majority to form the government. But, the comfortable number with the alliance was not enough to return to power in Maharashtra. As Shiv Sena alleged that the BJP backed out on its promise of a rotational CM, the saffron party maintained that no such promise was made.
After a long wait for the BJP to accept their demands, the Shiv Sena turned to NCP and Congress to form the government.
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After a marathon meeting on Wednesday, the Congress and the NCP leaders said they have in-principle agreed to form an alliance in Maharashtra and a give a "stable" state government.
Now, with Sonia Gandhi giving her nod and common minimum programme (CMP) almost sealed, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan have expressed confidence that the alliance will claim a stake at the Maharashtra government within a week.