Maharashtra Impasse: Sena Floats New Names For CM, But Congress-NCP Insist On Uddhav Thackeray

Both Congress and the NCP, which conducted a key meeting on Thursday to finalise the modalities of government formation in Maharashtra, want Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray as the next CM of the state.

Congress and NCP leaders would meet Shiv Sena on Friday to finalise the alliance to form government in Maharashtra. (File Photo/ AFP)

Mumbai: Hours after the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) announced that a delegation of the parties would meet Shiv Sena on Friday to finalise the alliance to form government in Maharashtra, several names started doing rounds for the chief minister's posts. Both Congress and the NCP, which conducted a key meeting on Thursday to finalise the modalities of government formation in Maharashtra, want Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray as the next CM of the state, other names including Subhash Desai and Eknath Shinde were also discussed. A source told IANS that they wanted a person with face value which can pay dividend in political arena apart from Maharashtra and also Uddhav Thackeray stood for Marathi pride to take on the might of Delhi, i.e. the Central government. According to reports, the contours of the power-sharing agreement has been discussed with the Sena and the NCP getting 15 each berths apart from CM's post to the Sena while Congress will get 12 ministers. For the Speaker's post, the Nationalist Congress Party is not willing it to give to Congress but the Congress wants it for former CM Prithviraj Chavan. The NCP has argued that that they don't want any Speaker who has to seek permission from his party high command. The NCP is averse to the post being given to Congress, pointing out that in former governments, the post has been with it only. Earlier in the day, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said his party and the NCP have "complete unanimity" on all issues concerning government formation in Maharashtra and they will now hold talks with the Shiv Sena to "finalise the architecture of the alliance". Congress and NCP will hold deliberations with its pre-poll allies -- the Peasants Workers Party (PWP), Samajwadi Party, Swabhimani Paksh, CPI(M) -- in Mumbai before meeting the Shiv Sena.  The national capital this week saw marathon meetings between the top leaders of the Congress and the NCP to explore the possibility of forging an alliance with the Shiv Sena, a party whose ideology is poles apart from the duo. Top Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge, its state leaders Prithviraj Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat and Naseem Khan, and NCP leaders Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Nawab Malik were part of the meeting. "The Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress have completed discussions on all issues. There is complete unanimity on all issues," Chavan told reporters. "Decision will be taken tomorrow on what the architecture of the alliance will be. The final decision will be announced in Mumbai," he said, adding that the announcement of the Common Minimum Programme will clarify all the details of the new government. Earlier in the day, the Congress and the NCP held separate meetings with its top central and state leaders. They have also been in touch with Shiv Sena chief. In one of the meetings, the Congress Working Committee after a detailed deliberation on the political situation in Maharashtra gave its approval to join hands with the Sena in the state, party sources told new agency PTI. After the meeting, which was chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi, Congress sources said the finer details on the government formation in Maharashtra is expected by Friday. On Wednesday, the Congress-NCP alliance gave its most categorical indication about joining hands with arch rival Shiv Sena, with former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan expressing confidence of forming a "stable" government soon in the state after a marathon meeting of senior leaders of the two parties here. (With inputs from agencies)