Buoyed by Thursday’s unexpected results in the Oct. 21 assembly elections, the Maharashtra Congress on Friday hinted that it could offer “support” to a Shiv Sena-led government.
The indication came a day after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)’s senior leader and ex-Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal and senior Congress MP Hussain Dalwai extended similar proposals, ostensibly in a bid to keep the Sena ally and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party out of power.
“We have not received any formal communication from the Sena on this yet… However, if it comes, we shall put it up with the party high command for a decision in the matter,” state Congress President Balasaheb Thorat told mediapersons.
The Congress, NCP and all its allies together have bagged a significant chunk of 117 seats in the 288-member assembly.
Simultaneously, Thorat said that they have accepted the peoples’ verdict with full humility and would play the role of a constructive opposition for the next five years.
“The elections outcome has dealt a severe blow to the BJP’s arrogance of power… The BJP used money power and official machinery to lure opposition leaders to its fold. But the people have rejected these ‘ayarams-gayarams’ and taught a lesson to the BJP,” Thorat thundered.
He admitted that the Congress performed was poorer than its expectations, but it has improved its tally to emerge stronger since 2014 elections.
Thorat also credited ally NCP President Sharad Pawar for his stormy tours all over the state and his political experience which helped the Congress and allies to improve their performance.
“We express our gratitude to the activists of all the ‘Maha-Aghadi’ parties whose hard efforts have brought us to this level. We shall raise the burning issues of the state with renewed vigour,” Thorat said.
On the party’s poor show in Mumbai, the country’s commercial capital, he said its internal problems reflected on the outcome, but assured that the party would be rebuilt into a strong and fighting force soon.-IANS news
