The Congress Working Committee on Thursday granted in-principle approval to the party to form government in Maharashtra along with the NCP and the Shiv Sena, sources said.
The party’s highest decision-making body gave the nod during a meeting held to deliberate on the Maharashtra political scenario. The meeting was chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and held at her 10, Janpath residence, they said.
After the meeting, Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal told the media that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) was briefed about the party’s discussions with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday.
Congress sources said the final decision on the government formation in Maharashtra is expected by Friday.
“The CWC has broadly agreed to go ahead with government formation with the Shiv Sena and the NCP,” the source said.
“Another meeting between the Congress and the NCP will be held on Thursday and a final meeting with Shiv Sena will take place on Friday in Mumbai. The decision on government formation in Maharashtra will be announced in Mumbai on Friday,” the source said.
Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, who will meet NCP president Sharad Pawar later in the day, also exuded confidence that the two parties, along with the Congress, will arrive at a decision on government formation in a day or two.
He said a new government in Maharashtra should be in place before December.
