Congress leaders brief Sonia Gandhi about meeting with NCP

Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh and Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday evening briefed party interim president Sonia Gandhi about their meeting with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

After briefing Gandhi, the three Congress leaders again returned to NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence.

Earlier, former Maharashtra chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan had said that the talks between Congress and NCP were positive today and they will give a stable government to Maharashtra "very soon."

"Congress-NCP has had long and positive discussions today. Discussions will continue. I am sure we will be able to give a stable government to Maharashtra very soon," he said.

Maharashtra came under President's Rule 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 President's Rule was imposed in the state.

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