Will decide on Maha govt formation after discussion with Cong: Pawar

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said his party will take a decision pertaining to government formation in Maharashtra only after holding discussions with Congress.

Asked about Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant's resignation as Union Minister, Pawar told media here, "I have not had a word with anyone regarding anyone's resignation. We will have a word with Congress today. Whatever decision is to be taken will be taken only after discussions with Congress."

Pawar will be chairing party's core group meeting here to discuss the current political situation in the state after BJP despite being the single largest party expressed its inability to form the government owing to its differences with ally Shiv Sena.

Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil will also be present in the meeting.

"In the meeting we will discuss the future course of action. We had said that first Shiv Sena should split from NDA... Discussion will be held on what agenda government will be formed," NCP leader Nawab Malik said.

NCP has 54 MLAs while its alliance partner Congress bagged 44 seats in Assembly polls.

Meanwhile, Congress has also called a meeting at party interim president Sonia Gandhi's residence in New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant announced that he would resign from the Union cabinet.

"Shiv Sena is on the side of Truth. In such atmosphere why I should be in the central government. I am giving resignation from my ministerial post. I will do a press conference today at 11 am for the same," he tweeted.

Sawant swore in as Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises after 2019 Lok Sabha elections. His resignation came amid the latest political developments in Maharashtra.

BJP has cleared that it would not form government in Maharashtra owing to its relations with its ally Shiv Sena that turned bitter after Assembly polls. Shiv Sena has asked for the chief ministerial post, a demand which was turned down by BJP

The NDA alliance 'Mayayuti' had received an absolute majority in Maharashtra after the BJP won 105 and Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.

Notably, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday asked the leader of elected members of the second-largest party, the Shiv Sena, Eknath Shinde to indicate the "willingness and ability" of his party to form the government.