Sena, NCP Split In Maharashtra, Is Congress Next? Sources Say Talks On

The Congress, the last intact party in Maharashtra's Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, may go the same way as Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, sources in the BJP have claimed. Two key leaders of the Congress have been in talks with them and discussions have been on for a while and is now in an advanced stage, sources said.

Earlier today, Sudhir Mungantiwar, the Forest Minister of Maharashtra, claimed that leaders of the Congress and other parties are interested in crossing over.

"Not only Congress but there are also several people who are unhappy with their parties because their leaders are full of selfishness. They create obstacles on the path of nation's progress and they don't want Prime Minister Modi - just like what China and Pakistan wants," he told news agency ANI when asked about the Congressmen in touch with the BJP.

The Congress, which meanwhile, is angling for the Leader of the Opposition post in the Maharashtra assembly in view of the split in Sena and the NCP, has denied that any action replay is likely.   

Asked about the Congress being the only party in the Maha Vikas Aghadi left alone so far, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan claimed in a recent interview that the BJP had tried to break the Congress before.

"But two-thirds the number is 30 MLAs, which will not be easy... one or two may join," he had told NDTV. The party, he said, will hold a meeting on Tuesday to ensure that all is well.

The Congress, however, has been guarding its flock since Ajit Pawar rebelled and signed up with the state's ruling alliance. He took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday.

This morning, the state Congress held a meeting, ostensibly to discuss the political situation since the NCP split. Senior leader Ashok Chavan said, "We held a meeting today and we stand strong and united. We are in the MVA".

The MVA numbers started dropping after Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena last year and walked out with 39 MLAs. NCP's Ajit Pawar claims he has the support of over 40 of the party's 53 MLAs, though only nine took oath on Sunday. The Congress has 45 members in the 288-seat assembly. The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has 17 MLAs.