Congress leaders to meet Pawar to discuss government formation

NCP leader Nawab Malik said on Tuesday that senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal will meet party chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai and a decision to form the government will be taken after that.

Addressing a press conference, Malik said Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari called NCP leaders to stake claim on Monday and gave time till 8:30 pm on Tuesday.

"Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal are coming to Mumbai and will meet Pawar at 5 pm. The decision will be taken after their discussion."

"The party believes that it is not possible to form an alternative government without the coming together of the three parties (Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena). If the three do not come together, there cannot be a stable government in Maharashtra," he said.

Malik said all 54 MLAs of the party attended the party meeting on Tuesday.

"It has been decided that looking at the uncertainty in the state, we will empower Sharad Pawarji to take a decision on alternative government. A committee will be formed for the same which will be led by Sharad Pawar," he added.

The NCP has 54 MLAs in the state assembly while the Congress has 44.

BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party in Maharashtra assembly polls with 105 seats, declined to form the government following differences with Shiv Sena on sharing power. The majority mark in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly is 145.