New Delhi, Nov. 20 (IANS): Sparking off speculation that the much-awaited Maharashtra deal is more or less sealed, Shiv Sena strategist Sanjay Raut said that there will be good news soon.
"As soon as the Congress-NCP meeting is over, we will meet Pawar Sahib," said Raut.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi appears to have come around and finally given the green signal to the coalition with Shiv Sena and NCP for government formation in Maharashtra.
Congress leader Prithiviraj Chauhan added ballast by saying that they hope to form the government in Maharashtra soon, adding that certain specifics needed to be thrashed out.
Meanwhile, chief NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik added that only these three parties can form the government in Maharashtra.
Sources said the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) will be finalised on Wednesday and the draft will be given to the Shiv Sena, which will return it after vetting to NCP and Congress.
The formula that is evolving is 4 MLAs to 1 ministry for ministerial berths. Under the arrangement, the Chief Minister will be from the Shiv Sena and two Deputy Chief Ministers, one each from the NCP and the Congress, which will also claim the post of the Speaker.
The portfolios are yet to be worked out and the main discussion is around the heavyweight portfolios of revenue, home, finance, cooperatives and excise. The Maharashtra cabinet could have a total of 42 ministers plus the Chief Minister, taking the total tally to 43.
Pawar meets Modi
New Delhi/Mumbai, Nov. 20 (PTI): NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament over farmers' distress in Maharashtra, even as the Congress and NCP stepped up momentum on forming the government in the coastal state.
Results of the October 21 Assembly polls were declared on October 24 and President's rule was imposed in the state on November 12 after no party or combine staked claim to form the new government.
The meeting between Pawar and Modi at the prime minister's chamber in Parliament took place amid talks between the NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena for an alliance.
"Due to President's rule in the state, your urgent intervention is highly necessitated. I shall be grateful if you could take immediate steps to initiate massive relief measures to ameliorate distressed farmers," the three-page memorandum given by Pawar to Modi said.
There were few takers for Pawar's emphatic denial of any political discussion having taken place during his meeting with Modi.
NCP and Congress leaders met in the evening at Pawar's residence in Delhi to discuss how to partner with the Shiv Sena, the long-term BJP ally which recently ended its alliance with the ruling party over a power tussle in Maharashtra.
