Pawar reaches Sonia's residence to discuss govt formation in Maharashtra

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday reached Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi's residence here to discuss the prospects of government formation in Maharashtra.

Earlier in the day, Pawar had said, "BJP-Shiv Sena fought together, we (NCP) and Congress fought together. They have to choose their path and we will do our politics." It remains to be seen what Pawar meant by the cryptic remark.

NCP leader Nawab Malik, however, had stated that things will speed up towards the formation of a government in Maharashtra after the meeting.

After the Sharad-Sonia meeting, leaders of Congress and NCP will sit down together on Tuesday to discuss the government formation in the state, Malik had added.

The NCP held a core committee meeting at party chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Pune on Sunday. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil and Legislative Party leader Ajit Pawar were among the prominent leaders present at the meeting.

Maharashtra came under President's Rule earlier this week after all the parties failed to form a government in the state.

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 the President's Rule was imposed in the state on Tuesday.

The Shiv Sena is now in parleys with the Congress and the 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.