Cong leaders to meet Pawar shortly over Maharashtra govt formation

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Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 12

A high-level Congress delegation will meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai shortly to discuss government formation modalities in Maharashtra as NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena remained engaged on the matter on Tuesday.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi met top party leaders here again this morning and deputed AICC General Secretary Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge, her political adviser Ahmed Patel and AICC General Secretary organisation KC Venugopal to meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar shortly for further discussions.

State Congress leaders - party unit chief Balasaheb Thorat will also be part of discussions.

The NCP, Sena and Congress are in talks with one another over the issue with the decision resting on power sharing formula in India’s financial capital.

Sena has been adamant on having its CM, a concession NCP and Congress appear willing to concede. It’s likely that NCP and Sena have a rotational CM. Equally contentious is the division of ministerial berths.

There are 42 cabinet berths in the state plus the CM.

All these terms and conditions have to be finalised before the three parties can come together.

NCP chief Pawar met Sena Leader Sanjay Raut who is admitted to hospital.

Uddhav Thackarey already spoke with Sonia Gandhi yesterday.
It remains to be seen if the three parties can work out a power sharing agreement by 8.30 pm tonight to stake claim for Government formation or they will let the President rule be imposed and stake claim later once they are all satisfied with discussions and outcomes.

Sources added that the three parties will form the government together and timing is an issue.