Congress-NCP-Sena will conduct detailed discussions for a few more days to work out a Common Minimum Programme which is agreed by all.
Mumbai: After almost half a month since the announcement of the results of the election the Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, and ShivSena formed a committee to discuss and develop a common minimum programme (CMP) based on which the parties are expected to form the government.
What exactly the common minimum program is?
On the lines of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA), an alliance is expected to be formed in Maharashtra between ShivSena-NCP and Congress. The activities speeded up when ShivSena made it clear that it will not go with the BJP if it does not agree to the demand of rotational CM post. On Tuesday, Congress-NCP said that ShivSena formally approached the parties just a day ago, thus they will conduct detailed discussions for few more days to work out a Common Minimum Programme which is agreed by all.
This committee has members from all three parties who will take decisions regarding the functioning of the state of Maharashtra. On the other hand, parties can stay true to their ideologies, a CMP will be developed to which all parties will have to agree with it.
This is not the first time that parties with different ideologies have come together to form an alliance, but this will be the first experience for Maharashtra.
When all things are finalized?
The discussion between Congress and NCP is likely to go on for three-four days. NCP chief Sharad Pawar is also expected to reach the national capital to hold talks with the Congress. Once talks with Congress start, NCP will begin the discussion with ShivSena.
Does the NCP’s image is hurting by allying to ShivSena?
NCP leaders commented that there will be no loss in vote bank if they form a government with ShivSena in Maharashtra. An NCP leader says ShivSena has a young urban middle-class voter on its side which is also the same as that of the NCP and thus the two parties won’t lose their share of existing voters. People will vote them again as old voters.
What next if this alliance breaks?
The NCP leaders said they don’t want re-elections in Maharashtra. However, they, also feel that if talks between the parties fail, they still gain. NCP leaders feel that the Congress-NCP coalition will be able to garner more than 150 seats in case the state which could go to poll again after 6 months.
What is included in the Common Minimum Programm?
Farmers’ issue will remain the core point between ShivSena-Congress-NCP discussion. The farmers of the state are already suffering due to the unseasonal rain which has damaged crops. On the other hand, sources said that Congress demanded that ShivSena should lower the Hindutva pitch for the next five years. It also wants the Sena to clarify its stand of minorities. Furthermore, Congress has made the demand for the post of Deputy CM.
BJP leader Amit Shah lashes out at ShivSena for betrayal
Meanwhile, the BJP has challenged Congress, NCP, and ShivSena to form a government in Maharashtra. The BJP hit out at its former ally Shiv Sena and claimed that they had made demands post the Assembly elections which are not acceptable. Shah said “We were ready to form the government with the Shiv Sena. But there were certain things of ShivSena we could not have agreed to. We fought the elections in an alliance. We are the single largest party. When the ally tried to put a condition, which was not acceptable. we cannot form the government on our own as we have 105 seats, what can we do,” added Shah.
On Tuesday President’s Rule had been imposed in the state after the governor sent in his recommendation to do so. Governor had invited the ShivSena, the second-largest party to form the government on Monday, a day after the BJP had declined a claim in government formation. As the ShivSena could not provide the requisite letters of support from its alliance partners, the governor had then invited the NCP, Which is a third-largest party to form the government.
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