'Cong's role in Maha govt formation is based on CMP'

AICC general secretary Avinash Pande on Wednesday said the Congress will play its "role" in the government formation in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena and the NCP while maintaining its core principles and values and on the basis of a common minimum programme.

He said the Congress leadership will complete discussions with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar with regard to the government formation in the state in a few days.

"People in Maharashtra have given a fractured mandate and a coalition government is needed there. We have held discussions on how the Congress can play its role in the government formation," Pande told reporters in a resort near Delhi Road where the Maharashtra Congress MLAs have been staying since Friday.

"It was discussed in the Congress working committee in Delhi, where the party leaders apprised Congress president Sonia Gandhi of their views and newly elected MLAs' suggestions. It was decided that the Congress, while maintaining its core values and principles, will support the government formation in Maharashtra to keep the BJP away," he said.

Pande said senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal held discussions with Thackeray and Pawar in Mumbai on Tuesday and it was decided that whatever discussions have to be held for the government formation will be completed in one-two days.

He said the Congress will go ahead on the basis of a common minimum programme.

The Congress leader accused the BJP of following "wrong" policies, saying the economy of the country was suffering and there were no jobs and farmers were dying.

Newly-elected Congress MLAs of Maharashtra were also present when Pande spoke to the media.

"This is a big victory of secularism and a big victory for the values for which the Congress has fought," Pande said as the MLAs were preparing for departure from the resort to airport to travel to Mumbai in a chartered flight.

He said the MLAs came to Jaipur on the directions of the party high command and will wait for the directions of the party president for the next move after reaching Mumbai.