Maharashtra, Nov 13, TEN Network | The Congress and the NCP on Wednesday formed a committee to finalise the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) demanded by the Congress to form an alliance with the Shiv Sena. The Congress committee includes Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Manikrao Thakre, Balasaheb Thorat and Vijay Wadettiwar while the NCP committee includes Jayant Patil, Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde and Nawab Malik.
On Tuesday, Congress leader Ahmed Patel had raised the issue of CMP. “Unless the roadmap and the modalities of governing the state are finalised, the Congress will not be in a position to give such an assurance,” Ahmed is learnt to have conveyed, sources said. On top of this, Congress also made it clear that the CMP must include some of the key agenda items in its poll manifesto including farm loan waiver, unemployment allowance, and job quota for local youth in new industries.
In the afternoon today, Congress leaders Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, and Manikrao Thakre are likely to meet Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray for further talks. Earlier today, the Shiv Sena said they won’t move to the Supreme Court to challenge Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari‘s decision to not grant it more time to demonstrate its majority. Sources in the Sena said that it is considering whether to press the petition or file a fresh petition against the president’s rule.
The state was placed under President’s rule on Tuesday, nineteen days after Maharashtra’s fractured verdict produced no clear winner in the Assembly elections. In the Maharashtra House of 288 members, the BJP has 105, Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44 MLAs. (TIE)
