NCP-Congress likely to finalise decision on govt formation in Maharashtra tomorrow

Amid the ongoing discussions between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress over stitching an alliance with Shiv Sena to form government in Maharashtra, Congress leader KC Venugopal on Thursday said that the two parties will probably come up with the decision in Mumbai by tomorrow.

After attending the Congress Working Committee meeting at party's interim president Sonia Gandhi's residence, Venugopal told ANI, "We have apprised the CWC members of the latest political situation in Maharashtra. Today, Congress-NCP discussion will continue on the matter. I think, tomorrow, we will probably have a decision in Mumbai."

Meetings between NCP and Congress leaders were held in the national capital on Wednesday.

The Congress-NCP leaders are also scheduled to hold meetings with the Shiv Sena leadership on Friday in Mumbai, after which the announcements related to government formation might be made.

On Wednesday, Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge had briefed party interim president Sonia Gandhi about their meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. After briefing Gandhi, the three Congress leaders again returned to Pawar's residence.Sources said that during the course of Wednesday's meetings, the Congress and NCP leaders also held talks with Shiv Sena leadership over the phone and got a positive response.They also added that as part of the coalition government, a sharing formula of 2.5 years each between the Shiv Sena and NCP for the chief minister seat has been approved while Congress will be given the deputy Chief Minister's seat.

Maharashtra came under President's Rule after all the parties failed to form a government in the state. The BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, could not stake claim to form a government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the Chief Minister's post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.Shiv Sena parted its ways with BJP only to explore ways to form a government. It, however, failed to prove the support of the required number of MLAs in the time given by Governor BS Koshyari.The Governor had then invited NCP, the third-largest party, to prove its ability to form the government failing which President's Rule was imposed in the state.The Shiv Sena is now holding talks with the Congress and NCP to form a government in the state.The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.