No Headway In Maharashtra Govt Formation As Pawar-Sonia Take More Time

In the Maharashtra state polls, the BJP and Shiv Sena won 105 and 56 seats, respectively. The Congress and NCP, pre-poll allies, won 44 and 54 seats respectively in the 288-member Assembly.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar (PIC/PTI)

New Delhi: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence here on Monday to discuss the possibility of formation of a government in Maharashtra.  Reports say the meeting lasted for close to 40 minutes following which Pawar left for his residence. Speaking to reporters at his residence, Pawar said leaders of both the parties will meet again in the coming days and make a decision. “We discussed in detail about Maharashtra's political situation. I briefed her on it. Mr. AK Antony was also there. Certain leaders of both(Congress-NCP) parties will meet and discuss further and get back to us”. The NCP is in talks with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena which broke ties with the BJP over not being given the Chief Minister’s post in Maharashtra. NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena have been working out a common minimum programme to ensure they complete five years in office.

Sharad Pawar on if Sonia Gandhi is opposed to forming Govt in alliance with Shiv Sena: There was no talk of Govt formation in our meeting, this meeting was all about discussing Congress and NCP. https://t.co/26TnM7lhRf pic.twitter.com/rghFDkuc6A

— ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2019

Pawar who is also in the national capital to attend the Winter Session of Parliament, said this morning that all political parties seeking to stake claim in forming the government in Maharashtra have to "choose their own paths". "BJP-Shiv Sena fought together, we (NCP) and Congress fought together. They have to choose their path and we will do our politics”. In the Rajya Sabha today, PM Narendra Modi praised the Nationalist Congress Party and Biju Janata Dal for "wonderfully adhering" to Parliamentary norms.  Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during a special session to mark the 250th session of the house, Modi said, "the two parties have never ventured into the well. Yet, they have made their points very effectively". Maharashtra is currently under President's rule since no party or alliance staked claim to form government. In the Maharashtra state polls, the BJP and Shiv Sena won 105 and 56 seats, respectively. The Congress and NCP, pre-poll allies, won 44 and 54 seats respectively in the 288-member Assembly.