President Rule in Maharashtra unexpected: BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar

BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Tuesday termed the President's Rule as unexpected and said that his party will try to form a stable government in Maharashtra.

"President's Rule in Maharashtra is definitely something we did not expect," Mungantiwar told reporters after the state BJP's Core Committee meeting here.

He further said: "We will certainly try to ensure the people's mandate is respected. We will try to form a stable government. We will stand by the people of the state."

He also reacted to his colleague Narayan Rane's comment that he was trying to help form a government in the state. "This is Rane Sahab's personal opinion. No discussion was held on this issue in the BJP's Core Committee meeting."

When reporters asked Rane whether he was in touch with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, he told reporters: "I cannot say anything on it. All I can say is that I am trying to help form the government."

In fast-moving developments, the President's Rule was imposed in the state on Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's recommendation after no party could stake claim to form the government.