Maharashtra: Cong will first sort out modalities with NCP, then talk to Shiv Sena for govt formation

The Congress party will first sort-out modalities with its alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) only after which it will initiate talks with Shiv Sena for the government formation in Maharashtra, told party sources. As per sources, the party is in favour of "NCP-Congress plus Shiv Sena" option and not "NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena" option.

Senior leaders of the party met Sonia Gandhi here on Friday and discussed the developments in Maharashtra. They said the party will first talk to the NCP and was apparently in favour of "NCP-Congress plus Shiv Sena" option and not "NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena" option.

The Congress and the NCP, which fought the assembly polls together, and the Shiv Sena have prepared a draft common minimum programme (CMP), which will be discussed by senior leaders of three parties.

Amid discussions over formation of government in Maharashtra, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar would meet on Sunday to discuss their next course of action.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is Congress' in-charge for Maharashtra, said on Friday that his party alone cannot take decisions and the two leaders will meet on Sunday.

"Congress alone can't decide things. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and AICC president Sonia Gandhi will sit together on November 17 and discuss the next course of action. They will decide how to solve this problem. Only after that, the other actions will follow," Kharge told .

He said once they both sit and discuss, only then will the political strategy be prepared. "That will be followed and implemented," he said.

The three parties are having talks for the formation of the non-BJP government in the state where the President's Rule was imposed earlier this week.

The Shiv Sena and the BJP, who had fought the polls together, could not form the government due to differences over power-sharing.

The BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the state with 105 seats in 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

Meanwhile a joint delegation of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress leaders has sought time from Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for a meeting on Saturday to discuss farmers' issues.

( With inputs from ANI )