NCP-Cong, allies support idea of forming govt with Sena: Patil

NCP leader Jayant Patil on Friday said the smaller pre-poll allies of his party and the Congress have backed the idea of forming a government with the Shiv Sena to keep the BJP away from power in the state.

"Our pre-poll allies have supported the idea of forming a government in Maharashtra to keep the BJP away from power," Patil, who was accompanied by senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, told reporters after the meeting here.

The Sena, NCP and Congress are currently working out modalities for formation of a government in the state, which has been under President's rule since November 12.

Congress and NCP's pre-poll allies include Peasants and Workers Party, Samajwadi Party and Swabhimani Paksha.

The state was plunged into a political crisis after the Sena broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post.

The BJP and Sena, which fought the Assembly polls in alliance, had secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member Assembly. The NCP and the Congress, pre-poll allies, won 54 and 44 seats, respectively.