Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday claimed that the process of government formation in Maharashtra is almost over and the status will be clear soon. Shiv Sena, which broke its old ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a bittle tussle on power-sharing in the state, is looking forward to form a government with Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.

"All the obstructions which were there in the last 10-15 days regarding government formation in Maharashtra are not there anymore. You will get to know by Thursday afternoon that all the obstructions are gone. The picture will be clear by tomorrow," Raut was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.

He also exuded confidence that Shiv Sena, along with NCP and Congress, will form a 'strong' government in Maharashtra before next month.

"The process to form the government will be complete in next the 5-6 days and a popular and strong government will be formed in Maharashtra before December. The process is going on," he said.

Maharashtra is currently under President's Rule. No party was able to form a government in the state even days after the election results were announced.

The BJP and Sena fought the election together and won 105 and 56 seats, respectively. However, owing to Sena's 50:50 power-sharing demand, including a rotational CM's post, severed the ties between the two parties. BJP maintained that no such pre-poll promise was made by the party. Hence, after several discussions, the Shiv Sena decided to break the alliance and post that, is bent on forming a non-BJP government in Maharashtra.

Sources claim that the Congress and the NCP are willing to support the Shiv Sena to form the government but the two parties are yet to give any concrete assurance to Uddhav Thackeray's party.

NCP and Congress leaders are scheduled to meet later on Wednesday to finalise the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the formation of a coalition government in Maharashtra. The two sides will also chalk out their strategy vis-a-vis government formation in Maharashtra along with Shiv Sena.