Maharashtra Governor asks BJP to 'indicate willingness' to form govt

Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Saturday evening asked the BJP, the single largest party in the state, to "indicate willingness and ability" to form a government, creating hope that the 15-day-long political impasse in the state will end.

The BJP's core committee will meet on Sunday and decide the future course of action, party leader Chandrakant Patil said.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni had met Governor Koshyari at Raj Bhavan earlier in the day, sources said.

The term of 13th Legislative Assembly of the state is due to end on Saturday midnight.

"We have just received the letter from the governor," state BJP president Chandrakant Patil said.

According to Raj Bhavan statement, the governor asked Devendra Fadnavis, who is the leader of the state BJP's legislature wing, to "indicate the willingness and ability of his party to form the government".

"Elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly were held on October 21 and the results were declared on October 24. However, despite the passage of 15 days, no single party or alliance of parties has come forward to form the government," the statement said.

"The Governor has therefore decided to explore the possibility of formation of Government and today asked the leader of the elected members of the single largest party, that is BJP, to convey its willingness and ability to form the government," it further said.