Congress, NCP set up panels to chalk out the common programme for governance with the Sena

A common minimum programme (CMP) being drafted by the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) combine and the Shiv Sena will discuss matters starting from distribution of Ministries to broader policy-based issues, sources say.

The programme is, however, likely to skip controversial issues. “The CMP will be about policy direction and will not include every issue in the State today,” said a senior Congress leader working on the draft. The issues such as the Sena’s demand for Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar will not be in the CMP as it is the demand of a particular party.

The NCP on Wednesday appointed a five-member committee including legislature party leader Ajit Pawar, State president Jayant Patil and Leader of the Opposition in Council Dhananjay Munde to hold discussions with the Congress and the Sena. Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and State president Balasaheb Thorat, met at the office of the former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to identify similarities in the manifestos of the three parties and come to common points to move forward.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is directly monitoring the discussions along with senior party leaders.

Need for consensus

Among the key issues to be discussed is the distribution of Cabinet and State portfolios and posts in various corporations. “The issue of who will become the Chief Minister is sorted. That post will be with the Sena. But there will be talks about appointments to corporations, the Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Council. We have to reach a broader consensus before going forward,” a senior Congress leader said.

The CMP will focus on a broader strategy for the next government. “Distribution of portfolios is certainly an issue being discussed, but we have to decide on policy matters such as farm loan waiver, infrastructure projects, industrial growth and the financial condition of the State. There has to be a road map, and we will chalk out the broader picture,” the Congress leader said.

The NCP MLAs held a meeting on Wednesday morning where Mr. Ajit Pawar clarified that his party and the Congress would clear certain points following which talks will be held with the Sena on the CMP.

“We are not in a hurry. The Governor has given us six months time,” he said.