NEW DELHI: As senior leaders from the Congress-NCP are scheduled to meet in Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale Tuesday said he will talk to NCP’s Sharad Pawar to support the BJP-led government in the state while BJP leader Narayan Rane reiterated that the party is in talks for government formation without Shiv Sena.
The meeting of the two parties comes after Congress president Sonia Gandhi held talks with Pawar and discussed a three-party alliance. Gandhi also met senior leaders Ahmed Patel, AK Antony and state in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the party’s stand and priorities for the planned common minimum programme.
A senior Congress leader said that the party is treading cautiously keeping in mind that there is no compromise in secular agenda and things have to be thrashed out keeping in mind the ideological differences. “The Shiv Sena has supported nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Bill but the Congress stand on these issues is completely opposite. All these issues need to be addressed before we join the alliance,” said the leader.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane said the party is holding talks for possible government formation without the Shiv Sena. According to reports, the BJP is in touch with NCP for government formation while Pawar had Monday said that the NCP contested polls against the BJP.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, who is from Maharashtra, said if the BJP does not want to form an alliance with Sena, then NCP should support BJP. “I will meet Sharad Pawar to discuss his party’s support to the BJP.”