Meeting Of Congress-NCP Leaders Today In Delhi Over Maharashtra Govt Formation; What Can Be Expected?

Maharashtra Govt Formation: The Congress and NCP have deputed leaders for holding talks to discuss the modalities of a possible alliance.

The Congress and NCP leaders are scheduled to meet in the national capital today in the evening.

New Delhi: The Congress and NCP leaders are scheduled to meet in the national capital today in the evening. The two sides have deputed leaders for holding talks to discuss the modalities of a possible alliance. NCP leaders who will part of the meeting will include party chief Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Ajit Pawar, amongst others. Accordingly, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan, and others will attend the meeting. Leaders of both the parties are expected to discuss a myriad of issues, which will also include- • Discussion on the name of the alliance The name of their likely alliance if Congress and NCP join hands with the ideologically opposite Shiv Sena to the contours of their tie-up in the coming polls, an NCP leader said on Tuesday. The leader also said that the Congress and the NCP are not comfortable with the name 'Maha Shiv Aghadi' (a grand alliance comprising the Sena). "We don't want name of any party in the alliance. Even in the NDA and the UPA, alliances don't have names of parties," the leader added. The Congress-NCP alliance is known as 'Aghadi' (front) and the Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI and other smaller parties are known by the term 'Mahayuti' (the grand alliance). • Discussion on civic polls The two parties would also discuss whether they would contest the civic body polls with the Shiv Sena if the three parties join hands to form the government in the state. Polls to several civic bodies, including the Birhanmumbai Municipal Corporation, are to be held in 2022. Watch | Congress and NCP leaders to hold meeting in Delhi over Maharashtra Govt formation A meeting with the Congress scheduled on Tuesday to further discuss the possibility of government formation in Maharashtra was called off due to pre-occupation of Congress leaders with Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary events. Earlier on Monday, NCP President Sharad Pawar had a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Pawar said if the NCP-Congress have to take a view on government formation, they have to first discuss it between themselves. In the October 21 Maharashtra polls, the BJP-Sena saffron alliance secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats respectively in the 288-member assembly. The Congress and the NCP, pre-poll allies, won 44 and 54 seats respectively. Also Watch | Will Sharad Pawar help BJP forming govt in Maharashtra? However, failing to evolve a consensus over the chief minister's post, the two saffron parties parted ways, with the Sena exploring the possibility of tying up with the Congress-NCP. (with inputs from agencies)