BJP will not form the next govt in Maha: Congress leader

Mumbai: Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Hussain Dalwai Wednesday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not form the next government in Maharashtra.

Mr Dalwai’s remark came following a meeting with Sanjay Raut in the Saamana office which lasted for half-an-hour. The Congress leader said that his party will not allow the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra.

Mr Dalwai told The Asian Age, “The Congress does not want Presidential rule in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena does not want to back the BJP chief minister. So we have to explore alternative options for government formation.”

Mr Dalwai is among the Congress leaders in favour of supporting the Sena-led government to keep BJP out of power. He even wrote a letter to that effect to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

About whether there is consensus among Congress legislators about supporting the Sena-led government, Mr Dalwai said that all 44 party MLAs are in favour of supporting the non-BJP government.

“All the leaders are saying that the BJP should not be allowed to form the government,” he said.

However, the Congress is not ready to commit its support in writing as yet. According to sources, the party wants Shiv Sena to snap ties with the BJP first and then come to the negotiating table.

Asked about the Congress issuing a letter of support to the Sena, Mr Dalwai said, “The decision on it will be taken by the party high command.”