Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, who met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday, said after the meeting that the two parties will hold more discussions on forming a government in Maharashtra, PTI reported. The meeting was held to finalise the fate of the state’s political situation.
The two leaders met for about 50 minutes at Sonia Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence in the national Capital.
“We discussed in detail about Maharashtra’s political situation,” Pawar said, addressing reporters after his discussions. “I briefed her on it. [Congress leader] AK Antony was also there. Certain leaders of both [Congress and NCP] parties will meet and discuss further and get back to us.”
“We have to sort out some more issues,” the NCP chief said, according to NDTV.
He claimed government formation in Maharashtra was not discussed in his meeting with Gandhi. “This meeting was all about discussing Congress and NCP,” Pawar said.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also tweeted: “It was decided that in a day or two, representatives from NCP and Congress will meet in Delhi to discuss the way forward.”
Meanwhile, Union minister Ramdas Athawale said he spoke to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut about a “compromise” to end the impasse between the two parties in Maharashtra, ANI reported. “I had talked to Sanjay Raut ji about a compromise,” he said. “I suggested him a formula of three years [chief ministership for BJP] and 2 years [chief ministership for Shiv Sena] to which he said that if BJP agrees then Shiv Sena can think about it. I will discuss this with BJP.”
On Sunday, the Republican Party of India leader had said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured him that BJP and Shiv Sena would come together to form the government.
Ahead of his meeting with Gandhi, Pawar had said all political parties seeking to stake claim in forming the government in Maharashtra have to “choose their own paths”.
Pawar, who is playing a lead role in the talks between the parties, had said on Saturday that the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will together form a coalition government and promised that it will complete the full term.
The BJP and the Shiv Sena fought the October Assembly elections in alliance but couldn’t form the government despite winning the most seats. They broke up as the BJP refused to agree to the Sena’s demand for an equal number of Cabinet portfolios, and the chief minister’s post for two-and-a-half years. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed that the BJP had agreed to the power-sharing deal in the run-up to the General Elections in April and May.
The Assembly election results were announced on October 24. The Bharatiya Janata Party had emerged as the single-largest party with 105 seats in the 288-member Assembly. The Shiv Sena, with 56 seats, came second, while the NCP and the Congress won 54 and 44 constituencies. President’s Rule was imposed on the state last week.
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