Amid the ongoing political stalemate over government formation in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik on Sunday said that the NCP leaders have reached an agreement over the fact that President's Rule should end in Maharashtra and an alternate government should be formed as soon as possible.

"After the meeting we have arrived at a conclusion thatPresident's Rule should end in Maharashtra and an alternate government shouldbe formed," Malik told media after the core committee meeting of the NCPat party chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Pune.

Malik added that during the meeting it has been decided thatthe next step over government formation in Maharashtra will be taken afterdiscussion with Congress. It is to be noted that the NCP and the Congresscontested the October Assembly election in the state as allies with the NCPwinning 54 and Congress 44 seats in 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. Malik saidthat NCP chief Pawar will meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi in Delhion Monday (November 18) to hold talks over government formation in state. Malikadded that the leaders of the NCP and the Congress then meet on Tuesday(November 19) to hold discussions over this matter.

"We have decided that next decision will be taken onlyafter discussion with Congress. Tomorrow Congress President Sonia Gandhi andPawar Sahab will hold a meeting and day after tomorrow leaders of both theparties will meet," said Malik.

It may be recalled that the results for Maharashtra Assemblywere declared on October 24 with the BJP emerging as single largest party afterwinning 105 seats. The Shiv Sena ended at second place with 56 seats in itskitty. Though the BJP and Shiv Sena contested the election as allies and theymanaged to win a comfortable majority of 161 seats, the two parties failed toform the government after Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray insisted on theimplementation of 50-50 formula under which the post of chief minister was tobe shared between the two parties for 2.5 years.

The BJP refused to accept Sena's demand forcing the UddhavThackeray-led party to snap ties with its oldest ally and look for theopportunity to form the government with support from Congress and NCP. It isexpected that Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress would soon form a coalition government inthe state under the leadership of Shiv Sena.