Congress leaders meet Pawar

While saffron allies Shiv Sena and BJP are bickering over the power-sharing formula even ten days after the state elections, Maharashtra Congress leaders on Thursday met NCP supremo Sharad Pawar here. State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat and former chief ministers Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan were among those who visited Pawar's residence here, sources said.

Pawar, 79, virtually spearheaded the poll campaign of the opposition alliance in the elections. "The meeting was to discuss the strategy of the alliance partners (NCP and Congress) in view of the current political situation," sources said.

Thorat, however, told reporters that leaders of the two parties discussed the damage caused by withdrawing monsoon rains to crops in various parts of the state. Though the BJP-Sena combine has won a clear majority in the Maharashtra assembly, the two parties haven't been able to form a government with the Sena demanding equal sharing of the chief minister's post.

The BJP has emerged as the single largest party winning 105 seats, while the Sena won 56 seats. The NCP and Congress have clinched 54 and 44 seats, respectively..

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