According to sources almost a month after the results of the maharashtra elections were declared, there has been no let-up in the political logjam in the state. Meanwhile separated by a bitter divorce, the bjp and the shiv sena have been embroiled in a war of words as the uddhav thackeray led party cosies up to the ncp and congress to cobble together an alliance in the state that has been under President’s Rule since november 12.
Furthermore amid the deadlock, all eyes are now on a meeting between the ncp and congress on wednesday where the allies will give final shape to a proposed alliance with an ideologically opposed Sena. Perhaps the crux of the agreement rests on the power-sharing formula and according to sources, the parties are in talks to arrive at a consensus on 16-15-12 cabinet berth formula, which includes the chief minister’s chair for the Sena a demand over which it fell out with its Hindutva ally BJP.
Accordingly the formula essentially means 16 berths for the Sena; 15 ministers from the ncp and 12 from the Congress. Perhaps they added that the ncp wants to share the chief minister’s post with the Sena for 2.5 years each, a demand reportedly agreed to by Uddhav Thackeray’s party. So far as the deputy cm post is concerned, it would go to the congress and ncp both or solely to the grand old party. Moreover the discussion will also try to thresh out the issue of the Speaker’s post for which both congress and ncp are contenders. Apparently the role to be played by smaller parties and the need to take them into confidence will also be among key points in focus.
