Congress should go with BJP instead of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra : HD Kumaraswamy

At times when Congress and NCP are working on an alliance with Shiv Sena over government formation in Maharashtra, JD (S) leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that it would be much easier for the Congress to enter into an alliance with BJP rather than going with Shiv-Sena as the former has "soft-Hindutva" face while Shiv Sena is known for its "Hard-Hindutva" stance.

"I don't know, instead of going 1/3 politics in Maharashtra, Congress can rethink on going to 1/2 politics. BJP's agenda is of 'Soft Hindutva'and Shiv Sena's agenda is of 'hard-Hindutva'. Congress is shaking hands with hard-Hindutva, they should go directly with BJP which is soft Hindutva as it would be much easier for it," said HD Kumaraswamy.

He said that in the Karnataka Assembly by-polls, JD (S) will win 8-10 seats out of 15 and this will start a new chapter in politics of Maharashtra. Elections to 15 Assembly seats will be held on December 5.

On the other hand, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar arrived in Delhi on Monday to hold a meeting with Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi at 4 pm today to discuss the prospects of government formation in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra came under President's Rule earlier this week after all the parties failed to form a government in the state.

BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the Chief Minister's post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

Shiv Sena parted ways with BJP to explore government formation in the state. It, however, failed to prove the support of the required number of MLAs in the time given by Governor BS Koshyari.

The Governor had then invited NCP, the third-largest party, to prove its ability to form the government failing which the President's Rule was imposed in the state on Tuesday.

The Shiv Sena is now in parley with the Congress and NCP to form a government in the state.

The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.