26 days after poll results, no headway in Maha govt formation

No early resolution of the 26-day-old impasse on government formation in Maharashtra appeared in sight on Monday, even as NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the issue did not figure in his meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi earlier in the day.

Asked if he would rule out the NCP supporting the BJP in forming the government, Pawar evaded a direct reply and pointed out that the BJP was his party's major opponent in the Assembly polls.

"The BJP and Sena contested the polls jointly. Ask them why are they not forming the government," Pawar said.

There was no response to Pawar's remarks from the Shiv Sena, which is banking on the support of NCP and Congress to keep the BJP away from power.

Amid the impasse over government formation in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extolled the virtues of the Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Parliament, praising the party for strictly "adhering to parliamentary norms."
Addressing the House on the occasion of the 250th session of Rajya Sabha, Modi said, "Today I want to appreciate two parties, NCP and BJD. These parties have strictly adhered to parliamentary norms."