Uncertainty over government formation in Maharashtra continues as the state was placed under president's rule. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, earlier in the day, submitted a report to the centre stating that none of the parties invited since Saturday -- the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party -- were able to show letters of support to form government.
After BJP, the single-largest party, got invite to form government on Saturday, and refused to stake claim, its ally Shiv Sena also failed Governor's deadline on Monday. Sharad Pawar's NCP, the third largest party, had got a deadline till 8:30 pm today.
Reluctant to form an alliance with the Shiv Sena, NCP ally Congress delayed its response as Sena sought support. "We will get back to you," Sonia Gandhi reportedly told Uddhav Thackeray on Monday, who, sources said, had made "numerous calls" as the two ideologically mismatched parties tried to collaborate.
The Sena had set the stage for talks on Monday morning after pulling out its lone minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, Arvind Sawant, signaling its break-up with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
