Cabinet recommends President's rule in Maharashtra amid political impasse

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday recommended President's rule in Maharashtra amid a stalemate over government formation after the assembly polls last month. Sources said the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met here this afternoon to discuss the political impasse in Maharashtra and decided to recommend to the president to impose Central rule in the state.

After the meeting, the prime minister left for Brazil to attend the BRICS summit. The Cabinet recommendation comes a day after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asked the Sharad Pawar-led NCP to express its "ability and willingness" to stake claim to form government in the state by 8.30 pm on Tuesday.

The Nationalist Congress Party said an alternative government cannot be formed in Maharashtra without the Congress's support and discussions among "three parties", an apparent reference to Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena on Monday claimed the NCP and Congress have agreed "in-principle" to back its government without the BJP in Maharashtra but failed to get letters of support from the political rivals before the deadline set by the Governor who rejected its plea for three more days to do so.

As the impasse in government formation entered the 19th day and the prospect of President's rule loomed, the Congress appeared to be not wanting to take a hasty decision to align with its ideological rival. Congress president Sonia Gandhi spoke with Pawar and authorised three senior party leaders to hold further talks on the issue of government formation in Maharashtra.

As hectic deliberations continued, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal left for Mumbai to meet Pawar for deliberations.