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PWP defers decision on Maharashtra trust vote

Sources in the PWP told the Press Trust of India that the almost six-hour meeting remained inconclusive and further deliberations would take place on Wednesday.

Earlier, with consensus eluding the PWP on the stand to be taken in the assembly, the beleaguered leaderships of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party rushed "sealed letters" to their estranged partner, giving a push to the process to bail out the coalition regime.

State Congress general secretary Sanjay Dutt and NCP vice-president Vinayak Mete rushed to the venue of the meeting at the MLAs' hostel and handed over the letters to senior PWP leader N D Patil.

"We have handed over two sealed letters to Patil from state Congress chief Govindrao Adik and NCP state president Babanrao Pachpute," Dutt said. But he did not know their contents.

The meeting of the PWP's highest policy-making body, which began at about 1330 IST, continued until evening, with sources saying opinion was divided whether to back the DF government.

Concerned with upholding the PWP's "left, secular" image, a section of the party toyed with the idea of staying away from voting to prevent the "communal saffron alliance" storming back to power. Others, however, insisted on opposing the Vilas Deshmukh government for "insulting" their sentiments.

Earlier, two other emissaries -- Industries Minister Patang Kadam and Revenue Minister Ashok Chavan -- had rushed to the meeting and held talks with key PWP leaders.

Emerging from the room, a visibly relieved Kadam said there were "positive responses" and the Congress-NCP alliance hoped the PWP would back the government. "We are ready for dialogue," Kadam, a key Congress politician, said.

PTI

Complete Coverage of the Crisis in Maharashtra

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