"The intention of horse-trading stand exposed now. The lies of those promising transparent governance are becoming evident now," it said, adding that "unethical" ways do not suit the tradition of the state.
Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party is in neck-and-neck race with BJP for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi while BJP-Shiv Sena combine has a clear edge in Maharashtra, a pre-poll survey has predicted.
The ruling Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra clarified on Sunday that it had received no proposal from the Congress for a merger nor did it have any such plan in the run-up to the election to the 288-member state assembly slated for September-October.
There are limitations to milking national security, says Sanjeev Nayyar.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said his party would contest the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar in alliance with the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Lok Janashakti Party, but ruled out conceding more than 13 seats given to the United Progressive Alliance allies in 2004 elections.
5 states that contribute just under a fifth of the Lok Sabha's seats will go to the polls early this year.
"People have asked us to sit in the opposition. The thought of trying to get into power doesn't even cross our minds. We will work to expand our base," he further said.
Prasad dismissed accusations that BJP was committing "murder of democracy" by entering into an alliance with a group of NCP and referred to Shiv Sena joining hands with the Congress.
'When you look at the content of Modi's speeches, the word 'Modi' is what he pronounces the most by far, which is not a healthy sign.'
Amid the ongoing tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Sena over sharing of power in the next state government, Fadnavis also asserted that he will be the chief minister for another five years.
UPA presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee on said a large number of non-UPA parties have extended support to him and this reflects a broad consensus on his candidature for the top Constitutional post.
'The Shiv Sena as a party was going nowhere.' 'Now Uddhav Thackeray has shown his partymen that he can take the BJP head on.'
He is likely to have the support of grand alliance partners Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awami Morcha.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday charged the Maharashtra government with raking up the Belgaum boundary issue to 'cover up' political differences between the ruling alliance partners Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party in the neighbouring state. "The Maharashtra government is raking up the boundary issue to cover up the differences between Congress, NCP in the state and divert the public attention," Yeddyurappa alleged.
Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai, a confidant of Uddhav Thackeray, said the party is now looking to implement the 50:50 formula with its ally the BJP.
While addressing a joint press conference with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar paraded 3 MLAs to display that all are with him.
The result was so disastrous for the Congress and NCP that they lost 41 seats out of 48 to the BJP-Shiv Sena combine.
'People have asked us to sit in the Opposition.'
Sharpening its attack on MNS chief Raj Thackeray over his agitation against toll collection, the Shiv Sena said it had "predicted" the outcome of today's stir.
The alliance won 41 of the 48 seats leaving the Congress-NCP combine with just 5 seats.
To beat BJP, you either deny them a critical mass of Hindu vote or build a regional leader and party strong enough to protect their turf, observes Shekhar Gupta.
Barely hours after the Bandra-Worli sea link was named 'Rajiv Gandhi Setu', the move drew criticism from Opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, which favoured it being named after Swatantrayaveer Savarkar.
Congress-NCP-Sena leaders discount reading too much into the meeting between the Maharashtra CM and prime minister.
'The consolidation of the Congress and NCP alliance does not provide any space for such splits,' feels Dr Rajeshwari Deshpande, a scholar on Maharashtra politics.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Thursday said the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance will secure the 'magic figure' to form the state government. "We will get the magic figure to form the government. There may be a difference of two-three seats, but with 21 rebels leading in the state, it's not difficult to achieve the majority," Bhujbal told reporters.
The formula of Lok Sabha polls this year wherein JD-U and BJP had both fought 17 seats each, leaving six for Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, which joined the National Democratic Alliance in 2014, a year after Kumar's exit, could not serve as the basis for the assembly polls, said the poll strategist.
While the ruling combine faces strong anti-incumbency factor, opposition Shiv Sena-BJP needs to strive to win majority. Sanjay Jog reports
'And Nana Patole fits the bill perfectly.' 'There is nothing wrong in being aggressive and today Patole is our angry young man.'
Taking to Twitter, Modi said, "Congratulations to @Dev_Fadnavis Ji and @AjitPawarSpeaks Ji on taking oath as the CM and Deputy CM of Maharashtra respectively. I am confident they will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra."
So who stands to benefit the most by a weak Opposition? What's behind the sudden public spat between the two parties?
'The Congress-NCP is a declining force while we are a rising force.'
The Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-led opposition alliance in Maharashtra will win 35 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde claimed here today.
The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine on Friday promised a Rs 1,500 crore special package for Mumbai, free power to farmers and insurance for crops in its manifesto for the October 13 assembly polls in Maharashtra.
Putting up a brave face after its alliance in Maharashtra fell apart, the Congress on Friday targeted the Nationalist Congress Party alleging that it was trying to "get close" to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was quick to rule out any truck with Sharad Pawar's party.
Fadnavis rules out holding special session of legislature and instead assures of relief measures, says Sanjay Jog
Late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray made BJP leaders remove posters that proclaimed Modi, then CM of Gujarat, as the 'Hindu Hriday Samrat'.
Even as the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress were burning the candle at both ends to hammer out a deal over forming the government in Maharashtra, the Amit Shah-led BJP was quietly planning its moves.
Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil (both from the NCP), Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut (both from the Congress), Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai (both from the Sena) took oath as ministers along with Thackeray.
