Cong-NCP meet cancelled: Ajit Pawar; spokesperson disagrees

A scheduled joint committee meeting of Congress and NCP leaders to work out details of Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for formation of government in Maharashtra with support of the Shiv Sena was cancelled, a visibly upset Ajit Pawar said on Wednesday night, triggering speculations.

Ajit, nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, told reporters present outside the Pawar senior's residence here that he was heading towards Baramati, his Assembly constituency, in Pune district.

"The meeting stands cancelled...I don't know when it will take place," Ajit said even as he refused to answer queries from media persons.

"I am heading to Baramati," Ajit said when asked about the reason behind cancellation of the meeting.

Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil was accompanying Ajit Pawar in his vehicle.

Meanwhile, upset over coverage of the incident by a section of media, Sharad Pawar later said he would not meet reporters if they evaded "privacy" of leaders.

"Ajit Pawar is very much in Mumbai...he will meet you tomorrow. Your (media) vehicles start following him if he says anything jokingly. This evades privacy. Hence, he (Ajit) did it (statement on visiting Baramati) deliberately...If you want to distort things, don't come here (Pawar's residence) tomorrow onwards," he said.

NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said the meeting is very much on. He also appealed against spreading rumours.

Ajit, Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Malik and Dhananjay Munde are representing the NCP in the joint committee.

Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, Manikrao Thakare and Vijay Wadettiwar are likely to attend the meeting.

Since Wednesday morning, the Congress and NCP leaders have been holding hectic parleys to work out a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for government formation, a day after President's Rule was imposed in the state.