Here's what Sonia Gandhi said when asked about Maharashtra in Parliament House

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday refused to comment on the progress being made in the formation of a new government in Maharashtra. Her response came as Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut exuded confidence that a government led by his party will be in place by next month in Maharashtra. Addressing the media Sanjay Raut on Wednesday morning said, "The process to form the government will complete in the next 5-6 days and a popular and strong government will be formed in Maharashtra before December. The process is going on."

"No comments," Gandhi said in Parliament House when reporters posed questions on the political situation in Maharashtra.

In a conversation with the media two days ago at the national capital, Pawar claimed that BJP-Shiv Sena and NCP-Congress are separate and walk a different path. Moreover, when questioned on Shiv Sena's declaration of a government formation with the NCP, Pawar responded saying, "Really?" He said, "What talks? Talks regarding what? There are no talks now. BJP-Sena is separate, NCP-Congress is different. How can you say this? They have to pave their path, and we have to pave ours." 

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On Monday evening, Pawar held a press brief after his meeting with Sonia Gandhi in her New Delhi resident but gave no clear answer over the government formation in Maharashtra, which is currently under the President's rule. Denying the talks on the next government formation, Pawar said that his party only received 54 seats, then why should he talk about government formation. When asked about meeting Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, Pawar laughed and said that he can meet Raut any day in the Parliament. 

Maharashtra politics

President's rule was imposed in Maharashtra on November 12 amid a stalemate over government formation after the assembly polls last month.  In the October 21 Maharashtra polls, the BJP-Sena saffron alliance won 105 and 56 seats respectively in the 288-member assembly. The Congress and the NCP, pre-poll allies, bagged 44 and 54 seats respectively. However, failing to evolve a consensus over the chief minister's post, the two saffron parties parted ways, with the Sena exploring the possibility of tying up with the Congress-NCP. 

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(With PTI inputs)