Maharashra CM will be from Shiv Sena: NCP's Nawab Malik

As talks are going on between Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form a non-BJP government in Maharashtra, NCP leader Nawab Malik said that the chief minister will be from Shiv Sena only.

"Sawaal baar-baar poocha ja raha hai ki Shiv Sena ka CM hoga kya?CM ke post ko leke hi Shiv Sena-BJP ke beech mein vivaad hua, toh nishchit roop se CM Shiv Sena ka hoga. Shiv Sena ko apmanit kiya gaya hai, unka swabhimaan banaye rakhna hamari zimmedari banti hai. (Question is being asked continuously whether the Chief Minister will be from Shiv Sena? Differences came up between Shiv Sena and BJP due to the Chief Minister's post, so definitely Chief Minister will be from Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena has been insulted, it is our responsibility to maintain their self-respect)," Malik told ANI here.

Malik said that the leaders of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP have finalized its draft of the Common Minimum Programme and the said draft has already been sent to the top leadership of all three political parties and now it is under their consideration.

"Soon there will be a decision on it," Malik said.

"Our Common Minimum Programme basically includes the issue of farmers, loan waiver, Job creation to youngsters etc," he added.

Malik said that looking at the current farmers issues in Maharashtra, the parties are of the view of forming a "stable government as soon as possible."

Asked about former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' comment that there is no alternative than BJP in Maharashtra to form the government, Malik said, "Devendra Fadnavis is now a former Chief Minister and he is reacting like a lost General of the Army who is falsely encouraging his Army to fight in the battlefield. There is no chance of BJP forming government in the state because BJP doesn't have the required number to form the government."

On Thursday, leaders from Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress held a meeting to finalise its draft of Common Minimum Programme.

Maharashtra came under President's Rule after no party was able to show numbers to form a government after the assembly polls.

The BJP and Shiv Sena, who fought the polls together, got an absolute majority but could not form a government due to differences over power-sharing.

BJP, which emerged the single-largest party with 105 seats in 288-member assembly, expressed its inability to form the government. The state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari later asked Shiv Sena and NCP about their intent and ability to form the government. Both parties sought more time. NCP and Congress fought the elections in an alliance.

-ANI

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