Govt can't be formed in Maha without Cong support: NCP

The NCP on Tuesday said an alternative government cannot be formed in Maharashtra without the Congress's support and discussions among "three parties".

Addressing reporters after the meeting of NCP MLAs here amid the stalemate over government formation, party's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said the NCP has authorised Sharad Pawar to form an alternative government to end the political instability in the state.

"All 54 MLAs of the party were present at the meeting. Given the uncertainty in the state, the MLAs have authorised (NCP chief) Pawar Saheb to take a decision on alternative government," Malik said.

A committee will be formed under Pawar to discuss government formation, he said.

"An alternative government cannot be formed without the support of Congress and holding discussions among three parties (NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena)," he added.

Malik also said that senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal will meet Pawar in Mumbai at 5 pm on Tuesday.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked the NCP to express its "ability and willingness" to stake claim to form government in the state by 8.30 pm on Tuesday.

The Shiv Sena on Monday suffered a setback in its efforts to cobble up a non-BJP government in the state with the Congress at the last moment announcing its decision to hold more talks with ally NCP on supporting the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.

While Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray said two parties (Congress and NCP) have agreed "in-principle" to support the Sena-led government, the governor refused additional time sought by his party to muster numbers.

Later, the NCP, which is the third largest party in the state, got an invite from the governor, asking it to express "willingness and ability to form government".

With 54 MLAs, the NCP is the third largest party after the BJP (105) and the Shiv Sena (56) in the 288-member House, where the halfway mark in 145. The Congress has 44 MLAs.