Shiv Sena has to go with NCP-Congress, says Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena Chief Udhhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that his party has to go ahead with Congress and NCP to form a government in the state and blamed BJP for the snapping of ties between the two parties over government formation.

Addressing a press conference here minutes after a joint press conference of Congress and NCP, Thackeray did not answer a question if the party's ties with BJP had completely ended and quipped "why you are in such a hurry".

"BJP-Shiv Sena were together for many years but now Shiv Sena has to go with Congress-NCP. We will hold further talks with both of them," Thackeray said.

Responding to criticism about Shiv Sena's ideological differences with the two parties which fought the elections together, Thackeray said, "I want to know how BJP and PDP, BJP and Nitish Kumar, BJP-Naidu, BJP-Ram Vilas Paswan came together."

When asked if the option of going with BJP was completely finished, Thackeray said, "Why are you in such a hurry? It's politics. Six months time has been given (President's Rule). I didn't finish the BJP option, it was the BJP itself which did that."

Answering a query, he said as Congress, NCP needed clarity on some issues, so did his party.

The Shiv Sena chief confirmed that he had approached the Congress and NCP to form the government on Monday.

"Yesterday we formally requested Congress, NCP for their support to form the government. We needed 48 hours, but the Governor didn't give us time," he said.

"BJP was invited by the Governor but they refused to form government in the state. The next day we were given the invitation (by Governor). We were given only 24 hours time but we required 48 hours. But he didn't give us 48 hours time," he added.

Thackeray lauded party MP Arvind Sawant for resigning from the BJP-led central government after a word from him.

Earlier, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar had said that his party and Congress will hold further discussions before talking to Shiv Sena.

While the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the assembly polls with 105 seats, Shiv Sena got 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44 in the 288-member assembly. Congress and NCP had fought the elections as allies.