Maharashtra Government Cannot Be Formed Without Three Parties, Says NCP’s Nawab Malik

No government can be formed in Maharashtra without the Congress, the NCP and the Shiv Sena, NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said on Wednesday after a long meeting between Congress and NCP leaders at Sharad Pawar’s Delhi residence, 6 Janpath. Sources said a deal among the three parties was sealed there and that government formation could be announced in Mumbai on Friday, November 22.

The meeting

The talks, held at Pawar’s home about 100m from Sonia Gandhi’s residence, lasted more than three hours and focused on a common minimum programme (CMP) for an alliance government. The Congress side included Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal, Balasaheb Thorat and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, along with NCP leaders including Pawar, Malik, Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar.

Malik said the parties were working to form a government and that it was certain none could be formed without all three. Chavan said the aim was to end political uncertainty in the state, where President’s Rule was imposed on November 12, and that the two parties had discussed many aspects “in a positive manner”.

What sources said

According to sources, Congress and NCP leaders were to meet again in Delhi on Thursday before flying to Mumbai for talks with the Shiv Sena. They said the deal rested on a 50-50 formula, with the chief minister’s post likely to be split so that each of two parties holds it for 2.5 years; who would go first was still undecided. Some sources suggested the first half could go to the NCP, with Sharad Pawar or Supriya Sule as possible choices. The sources also said the CMP had been finalised and signed by the NCP after Sonia Gandhi approved it.

What happened next

Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena became Chief Minister in November 2019 with the support of the NCP and the Congress.

See also: Nationalist Congress Party and Indian National Congress.

Originally published on 21 November 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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