Amid intense political activities to form government in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday afternoon in Parliament. The meeting will come two days after the PM praised NCP in Rajya Sabha.
The meeting, scheduled for 12.30 pm, is likely to focus on several issues related to the state, especially the agrarian crisis following unprecedented rainfall. It is significant, especially at a time when the NCP is much sought after to form an alliance to take power in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the meeting will solely focus on the farmers' plight as Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar care greatly about them. "We too had requested Pawar sahab to brief the PM about the situation in state. All MPs of Maharashtra, irrespective of their parties, will meet PM and tell him about the farmers' situation; we'll try to ensure that the centre gives them maximum possible help," said Raut.
Meanwhile, Congress and NCP will meet on Wednesday evening to discuss the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for Maharashtra and to forge an alliance with Shiv Sena possibly to form government in the state
The BJP and the Shiv Sena fought the Assembly elections for the 288 member House, and they bagged 105 and 56 seats, respectively. However, the alliance came undone after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded rotational chief ministerial post -- a request denied by the BJP.
On the other hand, the Congress and the NCP won 44 and 54 seats, respectively in the state.
Maharashtra crisis
Sanjay Raut said on Wednesday that the clouds over the government formation efforts in Maharashtra shall clear within a couple of days or so.
"There are certain internal processes of the different parties -- Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress -- which are currently on. A Sena-Chief Minister-led government will assume office by the first week of December," Raut asserted.
Replying to a question that attempts are being made to lure legislators on different sides, Raut dismissed the contentions saying such theories are a conspiracy of those who don't want to see a Shiv Sena government.
"In the Sena, the decision making is faster as it comes from the top to bottom, in NCP, the chief sounds out the party on taking a certain decision democratically and takes a little longer. The Congress has its own century-plus old traditions of arriving at any decision. The picture will start clearing from tomorrow," Raut assured.
(With agency inputs)
