Senior Congress leaders to not meet with Pawar; NCP mulls govt forming

As third-largest party NCP mulls over government formation in Maharashtra, Congress leer Manikrao Thakre on Tuesday has revealed that senior Congress leers will t be coming to Mumbai to meet NCP supremo Shar Pawar. Thakre ded that all Congress leers like Maharashtra general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge, National General Secretary KC Venugopal and Ahmed Patel will talk to Pawar on phone. Furrmore, state Congress leers are set to meet NCP leers at 4 PM, according to sources.

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Congress-NCP meet

Sources report that Congress High Command will discuss future course and inform Pawar about Congress' decision over phone. This development comes after goverr on Monday, invited NCP to show a willingness to form government by 8:30 PM on Tuesday. Shiv Sena h failed to cobble up a coalition with NCP-Congress' support and was denied an extension from Goverr.

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Recent political shifts

As Maharashtra entered its 18th day of having government on Monday, hectic parleys were held between Congress interim-chief Sonia Gandhi, NCP Supremo Shar Pawar and Shiv Sena Supremo Uddhav Thackeray. Senior Congress leers were flown from Jaipur to Delhi to take a final call on Congress-NCP extending support to Shiv Sena. While Uddhav Thackeray met Pawar and called up Sonia Gandhi multiple times, Congress did t reach a decision by 7:30 PM which was deline for Shiv Sena to stake claim. Meanwhile, BJP held a core committee meeting at Fnavis' residence to prevent defections and to decide future course. Sena's sole Union Minister Arvind Sawant too resigned from Modi cabinet in protest. 

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BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti breaks

Blaming Sena for fracturing Mahayuti alliance, BJP anunced that it would t form next government in state on Sunday, after meeting goverr. Sena, being second-largest part was n invited to form government - proving its ability by Monday evening- 7:30 PM. Both NCP and Congress are w in a huddle, talking with ir MLAs discussing govt formation. major tiff between two ideologically similar parties BJP and Shiv Sena is for 50-50 formula and sharing CM post for 2.5 years each. BJP has refused to both, with BJP willing to give Shiv Sena 13 cabinet portfolios and keeping 26 portfolios for itself.

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Current Maha Assembly numbers

saffron alliance swept Maharashtra on October 24, winning a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56), but is yet to put its majority to use. Meanwhile, 'Maha- Aghi' alliance (NCP-54, Congress-44) bagged 98 seats in total. halfway mark is 145.