Congress, NCP agree to forge alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra

After week-long deliberations in Delhi and Mumbai between senior Congress and NCP leaders, it is finally emerging that both the parties have in principle agreed to forge an alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

While Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray has called a meeting of all its MLAs today morning, a meeting of Congress Legislative Party to elect their leader is also scheduled for today in Mumbai.

Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan yesterday said, his party and the NCP have finalized all the modalities regarding government formation in the State.

Stating that there is unanimity between Congress and NCP on all issues, Mr.



Chavan said, discussions will now be held with smaller alliance partners like Samajwadi Party, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi.

He added that once all the parties are on board, a meeting with Shiv Sena leaders will be held in Mumbai today evening.

On allying with ideologically opposite Shiv Sena, Mr. Chavan said, the Common Minimum Programme will ensure that the state gets a stable government that will run its full term.

Refusing to divulge any details about the power-sharing formula, Mr. Chavan said, the same will be revealed after the alliance with Shiv Sena is formalized officially.