Pawar meets Uddhav,talks inconclusive

NCP chief Sharad Pawar met Shiv Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday evening at Pawars residence,setting off speculation that the two parties may join hands. The BJP,on the other hand,put up a brave face with party spokesman Prakash Javadekar insisting on Wednesday that the party alliance with Sena was intact. Sources in the Sena disclosed that the discussions were inconclusive and that things may swing either way.

The NCP will have to contend with dissension in case it aligns with Sena. Factoring this possibility,Pawar is reportedly engaged in widespread consultations with party leaders to gauge their response to a tie-up with Sena. Sources in the BJP argued that both NCP and Sena are currently hobnobbing with each other to build pressure on their respective allies to increase their seat-share.

The BJPs and Senas relationship is far from being comfortable. BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde and Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari are unable to do business with Uddhav. Meanwhile,Gujarat CM Narendra Modi,new state in-charge,has not established contact with the Sena leadership yet.