New Delhi:
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that talks with Sharad Pawar's NCP and the Congress were underway but he also kept the door to return to BJP open, saying that its politics and there is now six months time. Thackeray also thanked his party MP Arvind Sawant who resigned as a minister in the Narendra Modi-led central government. "BJP-Shiv Sena were together for many years but now Shiv Sena has to go with Congress-NCP. We'll hold further talks with both of them. I would like to thank Arvind Sawant, many people have lust for ministerial post but he isn't like that. Proud of him," he said.
When asked if the option to go with the BJP has completely finished, the Sena chief sought to keep the option open, saying that its politics and there is now six month time to decide that. "Why are you in such a hurry? It's politics. 6 months time has been given (President's Rule). I didn't finish the BJP option, it was BJP itself which did that..." he said.
"I officially spoke to the Congress-NCP only yesterday (November 11), seeking support for government formation. We will work out a formula for the same," he told reporters after meeting the Sena's MLA-elects at a suburban resort.
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He said the Sena needs a clarity on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) just like the Congress and the NCP if a government is to be formed with their support. "We have got six months. The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will sit together and work out a CMP. The Sena and the Congress-NCP have different views on several issues...they will work out and stake claim for government formation," Thackeray said.
At their joint press meet, Congress and NCP leaders said they had not yet taken any decision about supporting the Shiv Sena to form the government in Maharashtra, but will hold further discussions on the issue. The Sena, with 56 seats, is the second largest party after the BJP (105).
If it comes together with the NCP (54) and the Congress (44), the three parties (with their combined tally of 154) can easily breach the majority mark of 145 in the 288-member house.
(With PTI Inputs)
