Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP govt won't last for long, says Ramdas Athawale

Amid negotiations between Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP to form government in Maharashtra, Union Minister and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Friday stated that their government will not last long.

"If Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP have 154 seats in total then they have the right to form government in Maharashtra. Congress party is not getting the Chief Minister's post from what I have heard. Shiv Sena and NCP are getting the post for 2.5 years each," Athawale told ANI here.

Athawale has suggested "Congress to not give up the post". He said that the Chief Minister's post should be held by Shiv Sena for two years and by Congress and NCP for 1.5 years each.

The Union Minister further stated that "Uddav Thackeray's decision of shaking hands with NCP and Congress is against Bal Thackeray's ideology."

"I don't know whether this government will run even for six months... This government won't last for long," he said.

A draft common minimum programme (CMP) of the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP is awaiting final approval of the chiefs of the three parties.

The three parties decided to join hands after Shiv Sena fell out with BJP over its demand for equal power-sharing including rotation of the chief minister's post for 2.5 years each.