Shiv Sena will have to severe all relations with BJP to get NCP support, says Nawab Malik

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik on Sunday said the Shiv Sena will have to severe its all relations with the BJP to get the support of his party in forming the government in the state.

"BJP has expressed its inability to form the government in Maharashtra. If the Shiv Sena wants support from the NCP, they will have to announce that they have severed their all relations with the BJP and their ministers in the Central government resign as well," Malik told ANI.

The NCP leader, however, also said that the final decision will be taken after the party legislative meeting on November 12. "In the legislative party meeting, all the party MLAs will discuss the political scenario in the state and take a final call," he said.

Malik said that the NCP will consider a proposal to support the Shiv Sena to form the government in the state if they send a formal proposal after completely severing relations with the BJP.

"We will also discuss how the government will function before extending support to form a government. The Congress will also be included in these discussions, although it is not yet clear whether the Shiv Sena will form a government in the state with the BJP's support," he said.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday invited the Shiv Sena to form the government in the state.

Earlier, Maharashtra's BJP unit chief Chandrakant Patil said that the BJP will not form the government in the state as the Shiv Sena has not shown interest in the same.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance had received an absolute majority in Maharashtra after the BJP won 105 and Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.