Maharashtra govt formation: Senior Congress leaders to meet Sharad Pawar

Amid the suspense over the government formation in Maharashtra, senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Tuesday said that party interim president Sonia Gandhi spoke to NCP chief Sharad Pawar about the current political situation.

He further said that Gandhi deputed him and party leaders - Mallikarjun Kharge and Ahmed Patel to hold further discussions with the NCP chief.

"Hon'ble Congress President Sonia Gandhi spoke to Sharad Pawar today morning and deputed Ahamed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and myself for holding further discussions with Pawar. We three are going to Mumbai now and will meet Pawar at the earliest," Venugopal tweeted.

Meanwhile, Kharge said that a collective decision will be taken by Congress and NCP about the government formation.

"NCP and Congress had pre-poll alliance and final decision will be a collective decision. Our talks with NCP are on, and we will only move forward once discussions with them are done," he told ANI.

Earlier in the day, Pawar said that he will discuss the issue with the Congress.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar held its ally Congress responsible for a delay in taking a decision regarding the alliance's support to Shiv Sena for the government formation in the state and said that a decision for the 'stability' in the state will be taken collectively.

"We (Congress and NCP) fought elections together. That's why we should make the decision together. We (NCP) waited for their (Congress) letter yesterday. But we did not receive the letter by the evening. It was not right for us to give the letter. Whatever be the decision, there should be stability," NCP leader Ajit Pawar told reporters.

The Shiv Sena on Monday failed to submit the letter of support from 145 MLAs to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari.

"From morning 10 am till 7:30 pm on Monday, our leaders including Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel were waiting for their letter. They (Shiv Sena) had to submit the letter till 7:30 pm on Monday", Pawar added.

Ajit Pawar said that the NCP has called a meeting of all its 54 MLAs today.

"We will make the decision and likewise the Congress should also take the decision," he said.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday evening asked NCP chief Sharad Pawar to indicate the willingness and ability of his party, which finished third in the assembly polls, to form the government in Maharashtra.

The development came after Shiv Sena, which is keen to have its chief minister in the state, did not get additional time from Governor to submit letters of support from the NCP and the Congress.

BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party in Maharashtra assembly polls with 105 seats, declined to form the government following differences with Shiv Sena on sharing power.

The NCP has 54 MLAs while its alliance partner Congress has 44. The majority mark in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly is 145.

-ANI
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