NCP, Congress seek Governor's intervention over delay in government formation in Maharashtra

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress on Tuesday sought the intervention of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to resolve the impasse over formation of a new government in the state due to differences between ruling BJP and Shiv Sena on sharing power.

Talking to reporters after meeting with the Governor, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said they discussed the losses caused to farmers due to unseasonal rains. He was accompanied by Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat.

"Farmers in five regions of Maharashtra have suffered a lot but the government has announced Rs 10,000 crore for them. This is not sufficient. The government should have announced relief of at least Rs 25,000 crore," Pawar said.

He also spoke about the delay in government formation in the state.

"We don't know as of now when the government will be formed. The Governor should intervene in this," he said.

The BJP and Shiv Sena, who are partners in the ruling alliance in Maharashtra, had fought the assembly polls together. The delay in government formation has been caused by differences in the two parties on power-sharing.

Shiv Sena has insisted that the two parties had a '50-50' power-sharing agreement before the elections. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that Shiv Sena was not promised the chief ministerial post for two-and-a-half years when the alliance was sealed before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 105 seats while Shiv Sena got 56 in the 288-member state assembly. The results of assembly polls were announced on October 24.