Common Minimum Programme will be in Maharashtra's interets, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said that the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) being prepared with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress will be in the interest of Maharashtra and reiterated that the government in the state will be made under his party's leadership.

Addressing media here on his birthday, Raut said, "Since October 24, Uddhav Thackeray and I have been saying that Chief Minister will be from Shiv Sena. The government will be made under the leadership of Shiv Sena. There won't be any change in that. Shiv Sena will provide leadership to Maharashtra, nobody can stop it."

He added, "Common Minimum Programme will be in the interest of Maharashtra."

Leaders of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena have prepared a draft Common Minimum Programme which will now be sent to the senior leadership of the three parties.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said that the final decision on the draft CMP will be taken by the leadership of three parties. "The draft will be sent to high commands of three parties for discussion. The final decision will be taken by them," he said.

He said Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray may hold consultations to finalise the CMP.

The draft was prepared over two days during meetings of the leaders of three parties.Maharashtra came under President's Rule after no party could 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.