Maharashtra Governor B.S. Koshyari invites NCP to form Government

MAHARASHTRA IMPASSE

* Congress to play key role

* Shiv Sena fails to finalize its claim

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Governor B.S. Koshyari late on Monday invited the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the next government in the State, the party’s national spokesperson Nawab Malik said.

“Our delegation has been invited by the Governor and the indication is that a letter of invitation will be given to us. Tomorrow we shall discuss with the Congress on the ways and means to form the next government,” Malik told newpersons.

Earlier, senior NCP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar informed the media that he was called by the Governor at 8.30 p.m., and he was proceeding to the Raj Bhavan for a meeting along with half-a-dozen other leaders, but claimed that he had no knowledge as to why he was called.

Malik added that given the short 24-hour time limit, the Congress-NCP could not comply with all the requirements to enable the Shiv Sena finalize its claim for forming the government.

“The Governor requires letters with signatures, names, constituency names and the number of all the supporting legislators which was difficult to organise at such a short notice. The Sena sought additional time, but the Governor expressed his inability to grant the extension,” Malik said.

Earlier, on Sunday, the Bharatiya Janata Party expressed its inability to form the government, and on Monday, the Shiv Sena could not produce the letters of support from the Congress and the NCP though it has secured ‘in-principle’ support from both the parties. And now, the NCP has been given the opportunity.

Meanwhile constitutional experts have said that the Governor of Maharashtra has adopted the constitutional path to negate horse-trading in run-up to the government formation in the State.

Former Secretary General of Lok Sabha Subhash Kashyap, said, “The Governor is following the Constitution. By calling the parties, one after another, he has chosen a constitutional path, which would in a way negate horse-trading.”

According to the Constitution, the Governor decision is final with respect to the deadline for the formation of government in the State, especially in the context of a brewing political crisis in Maharashtra.

Kashyap insisted that if the Governor thinks none of the parties is in a position to form government, then he can inform the President. “If he wants, then he can call upon the Congress, too, after the NCP. In case of Shiv Sena, probably, he could not see the ability of the party to form the government”, added Kashyap.

Former Secretary of Lok Sabha P.D.T. Achary said the Governor has the sole authority to take a decision in connection with the deadline, if he thinks it will help in government formation.

“The Governor’s priority is forming a government in the state. If he feels there is a possibility, then he can certainly extend the deadline enabling a party to form government. But, if he thinks there is no possibility, then he can inform the same to the President”, said Achary on the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra.

He insisted that the possibility of horse-trading is limited in the present scenario, as the anti-defection law will come into the picture. “It (horse-trading) seems difficult,” said Achary. (IANS)

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