Mumbai: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failing to stake claim to form the government for the 14th consecutive day, the Opposition, Congress and NCP, on Thursday blamed the saffron party for the political mess in Maharashtra.
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Dhananjay Munde said that the BJP-Shiv Sena failed to stake claim to form the new government, despite being given the mandate in the recently-concluded polls.
“It will be unfortunate if President’s rule is imposed in Maharashtra,” he said.
Mr Munde said that the people of Maharashtra were experiencing various problems while those with the mandate were fighting over distribution of portfolios.
“Despite having the mandate, the BJP and Shiv Sena will be committing the biggest sin,” said Mr Munde.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar clarified earlier that they would sit in the Opposition benches.
“We are eager to sit in the Opposition but the Mahayuti (saffron alliance) should form the government for it,” Mr Pawar said.
The former Union minister had added that the saffron parties were fighting for the chief minister’s post even as a farmers’ crisis continued to wreck havoc across the state.
Congress state president Balasaheb Thorat, too, held the BJP responsible for the mess.
“In the tussle between the BJP and Shiv Sena, the people of Maharashtra are being left to suffer,” Mr Thorat said, adding that legislators, including from his party, had been contacted by the BJP.
The senior Congress leader said that the people of the state were waiting for the good news.
“They are threatening president’s rule. I don’t know whom they are threatening,” Mr Thorat said.
In the recently-concluded Assembly election, the BJP won 105 and emerged as the single-largest party. Its pre-poll ally, the Shiv Sena, came a distant second with 56 seats.
A resurgent Mr Pawar led his party to a respectable tally of 54 seats. The NCP would get the Leader of Opposition position in this Assembly.
