Mumbai, Nov 9 (IANS): Maharashtra Governor B.S. Koshyari on Saturday evening invited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- the single-largest party -- to indicate its willingness to form the next government, barely four hours before the tenure of the state Assembly expires at midnight.

"The Governor today asked Devendra Fadnavis, the leader of the elected members of the single-largest party, the BJP, to indicate the willingness and ability of his party to form the government in Maharashtra," an official statement said here.

The Assembly election results in Maharashtra were declared on October 24, but even after so many days, not a single party or alliance has come forward to shoulder the government formation exercise.

Taking the reins in his hands, Koshyari has decided to explore the possibility of government formation and hence asked the BJP -- the single-largest party with 105 elected legislators -- to do the needful.