Maharashtra Conundrum: Modi-Pawar Meet Vexes Congress

meeting between NCP president Sharad Pawar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is underway at Parliament in New Delhi where the Maharashtra strongman is likely to apprise the PM of the farmers' distress in his home state, sources said.

Ahead of Congress-NCP meet in the national capital on Wednesday evening over the discussion on the possible alliance and forming the government in Maharashtra, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

Maharashtra Political Crisis: The meeting between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday has left the Congress miffed, Sources said. Pawar and Modi may have met on the issue of farmers' distress in Maharashtra but the Congress believes that the meeting is sending out wrong signals at a time when negotiations are underway to form a non-BJP government. The meeting between Pawar and Modi comes two days after the prime minister praised the NCP lawmakers in Parliament over their decision against entering the Well during the proceedings. NCP and Congress leaders will meet in the evening to discuss how to partner with the Shiv Sena, a long-term BJP ally that recently ended its alliance with the ruling party over a power tussle in Maharashtra. Watch | NCP Chief Sharad Pawar meets PM Modi On the other hand, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has once again exuded confidence over forming the government in the state by his party. Speaking to the media today, Raut said that the process is underway and that Shiv Sena will form the government in Maharashtra before December. "The process to form the government will complete in next 5-6 days and a popular & strong government will be formed in Maharashtra before December. The process is going on." He added that everything will be cleared by tomorrow afternoon, hinting some big development in the state politics. When asked about his view on the meeting between Sharad Pawar and PM Modi which might likely revolve around the current scenario in Maharashtra, Raut said that it's not a big deal if a leader wants to meet the Prime Minister in this country. Watch | Maharashtra Govt will be formed by December: Sanjay Raut Amid the turmoil in the state, BJP leader Ram Kadam has claimed that the Congress and NCP are trying to corner Shiv Sena. He also said that despite holding several meetings the three parties are nowhere close to forming a government in the state. "Both Congress and NCP are trying to corner Shiv Sena," said Ram Kadam. "It is unfortunate that for last 28 days all the three parties (Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena) are holding meetings after meetings without any conclusion. When will their meetings end?" asked Kadam.