Stake claim for govt formation on Friday night or Saturday: NCP

Mumbai, Nov 22: The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress will stake claim to form government in Maharashtra either late night on Friday or Saturday morning, NCP's chief spokesman Nawab Malik has said. Malik also said the three parties will give priority to running the government for five years.

"Some leaders of the three parties will meet in the evening (on Friday). They will discuss all the points and take the final call. We will stake claim to form the government late tonight or in the morning tomorrow," Malik said.

He reiterated the chief minister's post will go to the Shiv Sena.

Asked about reports of the Shiv Sena and the NCP sharing the chief ministerial post for two-and-half years, Malik said the issue is not important for the parties.

"What is important is the government runs for five years, people's sentiments are respected...Our priority to form the government at the earliest," he added. The three parties on Friday fast-tracked the process for formin

g the government in the state, where poll results were announced nearly a month ago. The state has been facing a political crisis after the Sena broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post. The BJP and the Sena, which fought the Assembly polls in alliance, had secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member Assembly. The NCP and the Congress, pre-poll allies, won 54 and 44 seats, respectively. The combined tally of the Sena, the NCP and the Congress is way beyond the majority mark of 145. The state is currently under President's rule. PTI ENM RSY RSY