Putting an end to a long tussle over government formation in Maharashtra, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday agreed to form the government in the state, along with the Shiv Sena.

The decision was taken during an earlier meeting between Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday. However, senior leaders of the party are meeting at AICC headquarters to discuss the matter further.

Amid all the drama and speculations, Pawar met PM Narendra Modi today to discuss farmers’ issues a day after the PM praised him in the Parliament.The meeting between Sharad Pawar and PM Modi came after Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena met the NCP chief to discuss “issues related to farmers” pending government formation in Maharashtra.

Clarifying on party supremo Sharad Pawar’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, NCP leader Nawab Malik said farmers were going through a tough phase as there was no government in the state and the meeting was to apprise the PM of the crisis.

He added that the only way to form the government in Maharashtra was by allying with the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.

Shiv Sena’s senior leader Sanjay Raut too sought to play down the meeting, saying Pawar had always been concerned about farmers of the state after which all parties from Maharashtra will call on Modi to seek funds for affected farmers.

Meanwhile, it is expected that the widening rift between the BJP and the Shiv Sena is going to have its effect in the upcoming Mayoral polls in Maharashtra. While in some municipal corporations, the Congress and the NCP may gain an upper-hand with the Sena’s support, in others the BJP enjoys a clear majority.

Maharashtra was placed under the President’s Rule on November 12 after all these parties, the governor invited, failed to stake claim to form the government as none had adequate numbers.