'Other parties' must help Cong-NCP to form Maha govt: Shivraj

Senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil on Friday asked "other parties" to support the Congress and NCP in forming the next government in Maharashtra and end the fortnight-long deadlock.

Patil, a former Lok Sabha speaker, however, said the Congress and NCP may not agree to such an arrangement.

"There is only one way to handle the (current) situation in Maharashtra. The other people (parties) should tell the Congress and NCP that they will support the Congress and NCP in government formation.

"The Congress and NCP can then form government if they agree to it (such arrangement). The Congress and NCP may not even agree to it," he told a news channel.

The former Union minister did not specify "other parties", though it may be a reference to the Shiv Sena, the second largest party.

No party or alliance has staked claim to form government in Maharashtra after the Assembly poll result was announced on October 24.

The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party in the October 21 Assembly polls winning 105 seats, and its ally Shiv Sena, with 56 seats, have not staked claim to form government together or separately till now.

The NCP and Congress won 54 and 44 seats respectively in the election to the 288-member Assembly where the majority mark is 145.