Will decide on joining Sena-led alliance after CMP: Shetti

Swabhimani Paksha leader Raju Shetti on Monday said his party will decide on joining a prospective Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra after they declare their common minimum programme (CMP).

The three parties have said they have prepared a draft CMP which is to be approved by their top leaders.

"My party will decide on joining the new alliance after it declares its common minimum programme for government formation in Maharashtra," he said.

The Swabhimani Paksha has one MLA.

After holding talks with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said the two parties will hold talks with their allies in Maharashtra before taking a decision on government formation in the state.

Addressing a press conference, Pawar said he briefed Gandhi about the political situation in Maharashtra and that there was no talk on government formation in the state.

"We have discussed in detail the political situation in Maharashtra," he said.

"We will keep an eye on the situation in Maharashtra. Congress and NCP leaders will hold further talks on the future course of action," he added.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is in talks with ally Congress for a possible coalition with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after the latter's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell apart over the chief minister's post in Maharashtra.