No discussion on govt formation: Sharad Pawar after meeting Sonia Gandhi

18:50 November 18

Don't know where Shiv Sena is getting 170 MLAs, says Sharad Pawar

Addressing a press conference, NCP's Sharad Pawar said Congress and NCP have not decided on any alliance as yet.

"Don't know where Shiv Sena is getting 170 MLAs from," he said.

18:42 November 18

No discussion on govt formation: Sharad Pawar after meeting Sonia Gandhi

Addressing a press conference after meeting Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi , Sharad Pawar said , "There was no talk of Govt formation in our meeting, this meeting was all about discussing Congress and NCP."

18:36 November 18

Briefed Sonia on political situation in state, says Sharad Pawar

After meeting Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said, "I just had a meeting with Congress President and AK Antony was also present at the meeting. We discussed in detail about Maharashtra’s political situation. I have briefed her about the situation."

18:27 November 18

Pawar reaches his residence after meeting Sonia Gandhi

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar reaches his residence after meeting Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi.

17:09 November 18

Pawar reaches Sonia Gandhi's residence to discuss over Maharashtra govt formation

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the possibility of formation of a government in Maharashtra.

The NCP is in talks with ally Congress for a possible alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after its alliance with the BJP fell apart over the chief minister's post.

Congress and NCP leaders have held a series of meetings in the last few days to finalise modalities for a Sena-led government in Maharashtra.







 

12:47 November 18

NCP-Cong fought together, BJP-Sena have to choose their own path: Pawar

Ahead of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's meeting with Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, the former seemingly took a dramatic u-turn on a possible alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and said the BJP and Shiv Sena fought together and they have to choose their paths.

Speaking to 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."

He, however, also said that he will meet Sonia Gandhi later in the day at her residence.

10:20 November 18

Everything will 'speed up', alternate govt in Maha: NCP

Informing that NCP chief Sharad Pawar and interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi will meet at 4 pm today, NCP leader Nawab Malik said that once a decision is taken in today's meeting, everything "will speed up" and there will be an alternative government in Maharashtra.

07:16 November 18

No discussion on govt formation: Sharad Pawar after meeting Sonia Gandhi

Pune: The NCP has said that its supremo Sharad Pawar will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi today to discuss the government formation in Maharashtra.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik made the announcement on Sunday evening after a meeting of the party's core committee at Pawar's residence here.

Malik said that the core committee was of the view that the current President's rule in Maharashtra should end, and an "alternative government" should be formed.

The NCP is in talks with its ally Congress for a possible alliance with the Shiv Sena, after the Sena's alliance with the BJP fell apart over the chief minister's post.

"We had had a discussion over the current political situation in the state, and we have come to the conclusion that the President's rule should end and an alternative government should be formed," said Malik.

"Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi will meet on Monday and discuss the possibility of formation of alternative government in Maharashtra," he said.

"On Tuesday, (other) leaders from the NCP and Congress will meet and discuss future course of action," he added.

The NCP core committee's meeting, which lasted for over two hours, was attended by Jayant Patil, Dilip walse Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Sunil Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde and others.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that "we are trying to find if the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP can come together".

"There will be a meeting tomorrow between Sena and Congress leaders. We will find out if we can go ahead or not," the former chief minister told reporters.

Maharashtra was placed under President's rule on November 12 after no party or alliance staked claim to form government.

The Sena reached out to the Congress-NCP combine for support after its alliance with the BJP collapsed.

The saffron alliance had secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member Assembly.

The Congress and NCP, pre-poll allies, won 44 and 54 seats.

Read: Sena MPs being allotted seats on opposition side in LS, RS: Pralhad Joshi