Sonia Gandhi meets Congress top brass on Maharashtra government formation

New Delhi: Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with senior party leaders A.K. Antony, Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge and K.C. Venugopal on Tuesday as the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP closed in on a deal for government formation in Maharashtra with the issue of power-sharing among the three parties being resolved within.

The Congress will hold talks with Nationalist Congress Party in New Delhi to finalise the draft common minimum programme (CMP) which will be vetted by the



leadership. Kharge will lead the talks along with close Rahul Gandhi aide Venugopal and state leaders will be included, said sources.

Sources say that NCP is still pushing for the rotational arrangement for the top post but the first term of Chief Ministership is likely to go to the Shiv Sena. The deliberations on power sharing will be finalised by the high-powered committee for the three parties in this week and the final stamp will be put by the lea is apprehensive about the attitude of Sena leaders.