In the backdrop of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and at a time when efforts by Shiv Sena to cobble together an alliance with Congress-NCP have apparently been in vain, Sena leader Sanjay Raut brushed aside speculations of NCP going along with BJP. “If some leader meets Prime Minister then it doesn’t mean that something is cooking. The Prime Minister is for the entire nation, farmers are facing problems in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray always think about farmers,” said Sanjay Raut. “If Uddhav Thackeray comes to Delhi regarding farmers issue and all MPs meet the Prime Minister, then does that mean something is cooking? Be it inside the Parliament or outside, anyone can meet the PM. Sharad Pawar is very well known in agricultural arena, he knows the situation in the state,” said Raut. “We too had requested Sharad Pawar to brief the PM about the situation in the state. All MPs of Maharashtra, irrespective of their parties will meet the PM and tell him about the farmers’ situation. We will try to ensure that the centre gives them maximum possible help,” he said. Raut exuded confidence that the formation of government in Maharashtra will happen soon. “The process to form the government will be completed in the next 5-6 days and a popular and strong government will be formed in Maharashtra by the first week of December. The process is going on,” he said. “All the obstructions which were there in last 10-15 days, regarding the formation of government in Maharashtra, are not there anymore. You will get to know by noon tomorrow that all the obstructions are gone. The picture will be clear by tomorrow afternoon,” he added. Amid political uncertainty in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday in Parliament over the issue of Maharashtra farmers. The meeting will be held at noon. Meanwhile, a meeting of Congress and NCP leaders is scheduled to be held on Wednesday evening in the national capital. NCP leaders including party chief Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and Ajit Pawar, and Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan amongst others will be present at the meeting. On Monday, Sharad Pawar met Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at the latter’s residence here. However, the NCP leader said that they did not talk about government formation in Maharashtra.
