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NEW DELHI: Maharashtra's political situation remains fluid as the shrewd Maratha leader Sharad Pawar keeps his cards open for the Nationalist Congress Party's deal either with the Congress or the Bhartiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine.

He, however, keeps the BJP on the hold to negotiate first with the Congress for formation of the new government in the state, instead of jumping on the BJP's feelers to share power both at the Centre and the state.

Pawar was quoted telling political leaders calling on him on Saturday that he would not open any talks with the BJP unless he has closed the ongoing negotiations with the Congress. He hinted that his first preference would be for the Congress since he was a part of it until five months ago.

BJP spokesman M Venkaiah Naidu, however, claimed his party's talks were already on with the NCP for ending the stalemate resulting from no party or alliance getting a clear majority in the Assembly elections. Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan was rushing to Mumbai to secure a clearance from Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray for formally entertaining Pawar.

Quite upset at NCP General Secretary Purno A Sangma going public late Friday night to rule out any deal with the Congress, Pawar made another General Secretary Devendra Dwivedy, who is also party spokesman, clarify that Sangma's views were his "personal views" and did not reflect the party's stand which can be decided only by its national executive.

Though under immense pressure from within the NCP to have a position of power at the Centre to help the party in other states, Pawar's supporters say he would like to strengthen the hold in own state instead of getting lost in the multi-party National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of the BJP. They said he would weigh the offers from the Congress before having any deal with the BJP.

The other section, however, appeared equally confident that Pawar would be humiliated so much by the Congress so as to have no choice but to go with the BJP. They cite in support Maharashtra PCC Chief Pratap Rao Bhonsale dashing to the Governor on Friday to stake claim even without taking the NCP into confidence.

Those in the NCP opposed to any alliance with the Congress pointed out that Bhonsale was only trying to irritate Pawar and company since otherwise constitutionally a claim to form the government can be staked only once the election results are notified and the party MLAs elect the leader.

In a new development, the Congress leadership, however, snubbed Bhonsale and made him dash off a letter to Maharashtra NCP chief Chhagan Bhujbal, inviting him with the NCP representatives for the alliance talks.

NCP leaders like Sangma, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sudhakar Rao Naik, who has been elected MLA, and former Goa Chief Minister Dr Wilfred D'souza are, however, pointing out that the NCP would be only honouring the people's verdict that has gone in favour of the NDA by joining its Government at the Centre and by either joining or supporting the BJP-Shiv Sena Government in Maharashtra.

Asked how they can join hands with the communal party like BJP, they also argue that the NCP's participation in the NDA government at the Centre would put further checks on the leading partner, BJP, from attempting to carry out any RSS agenda.

The political scene shifts back to Mumbai where both Congress and NCP are holding their respective legislature party's meetings on Sunday and indications are that both would authorise their respective leaders to negotiate with each other. Pawar is reaching Mumbai either Saturday night or Sunday morning.

AICC General Secretary Madhavrao Scindia and observer Mohsina Kidwai did not proceed to Mumbai on Friday as planned because of the PCC President's sudden dash to the Governor to stake claim as the single largest party. They are now going to Mumbai Sunday morning to attend the legislature party meeting and elicit the MLAs' views.

The Congress sources said indications already received from Mumbai show that the party MLAs would any day prefer the leadership to patch up with Pawar instead of sitting in the Opposition. There were not many who subscribe to the view of former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi that the Congress should better sit in the Opposition instead of having any truck with Pawar. END.