New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar said Monday that both the Congress and his organization will hold talks with their allies in Maharashtra before taking a decision on government formation in the state. Pawar stated this after holding talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi here.
Addressing a press conference, Sharad Pawar said he briefed Sonia Gandhi about the political situation in Maharashtra and that there was no talk on government formation in the state.
“We have discussed in detail the political situation in Maharashtra,” Pawar said. “We will keep an eye on the situation in Maharashtra. Congress and NCP leaders will hold further talks on the future course of action,” he added.
The NCP is in talks with ally Congress for a possible coalition with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after the latter’s alliance with the BJP fell apart over the chief minister’s post in Maharashtra.
“Sharad Pawar met the Congress president today and briefed her on the situation in Maharashtra. It was decided that in a day or two, representatives from NCP and Congress will meet again to discuss the way forward,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet.
Ahead of his meeting with Sonia Gandhi, the NCP chief had said all political parties seeking to stake claim to form the government in Maharashtra had to ‘choose their own paths’. However his statement Monday surprised many because of what had transpired Sunday.
It should be stated here that Sunday the NCP’s core committee held a meeting in Pune and resolved that the President’s rule should end and an ‘alternative government’ be formed in Maharashtra.
Earlier in the day talking to the media in Parliament, Pawar said, “BJP-Shiv Sena fought together, we (NCP) and Congress fought together in the elections. They have to choose their path and we will do our politics.”
Hence all his statements during the day created utter confusion in the minds of the Shiv Sena leaders including Uddhav Thackeray, who are banking on the NCP and the Congress to form the government in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile Congress sources said that before saying yes to the alliance, the party wants the Shiv Sena to shed its hard Hindutva ideology and take a secular stand on several issues. He also said the NCP wants the Congress to be part of the government.
Pre-poll allies BJP and Shiv Sena contested the October 21 Assembly polls together. The BJP bagged 105 out of 288 seats while Shiv Sena managed to win 56 seats. On the other hand, the Congress and the NCP won 44 and 54 seats, respectively in the state.
Agencies