Mandate is to sit in opposition, says Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Saturday that the mandate for his party in Maharashtra elections is to sit in the opposition and they have fully accepted it.

Speaking to media persons here, Pawar said the newly-elected MLAs of the party will meet on October 30 to elect legislative party leader.

"The public mandate for us is to sit in the opposition and we have accepted it with the bottom of our heart. There is no other option," Pawar said.

He said the party will talk to its ally Congress on the post of leader of opposition.

"For the post of opposition leader and other positions, Congress and NCP will deliberate. On every issue, Congress and NCP will move forward only after having discussions with each other," he said.

NCP has won 54 seats in Maharashtra elections, ten more than the seats won by Congress.

He said the newly-elected MPs of the party will meet October 30 at 5 pm.

Maharashtra Congress Committee President Balasaheb Thorat was also present at the press conference.

Earlier in the day, Thorat paid a visit to Sharad Pawar in "his personal capacity".

Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule, MP, and party MLA Rohit Pawar, who is his grand-nephew, were also present.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance won an absolute majority in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

Shiv Sena leaders on Saturday demanded that BJP should give a written assurance that both the alliance partners will run the government according to 50-50 formula for two-and-a-half-years each.

( With inputs from ANI )