Union Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde hosted a dinner at which several of Congress MPs and ministers from the state
were present.
The NCP had on Monday said all options are open to it if Congress does not agree to contest the Lok Sabha elections with United Progressive Alliance as one entity.
NCP spokesman D P Tripathi had said if Congress does not agree to contesting polls as UPA, then the constituents of
the
alliance are free to draw their plan.The warning came at a time when NCP is seeking a greater share of seats in Maharashtra and also wants seats from Congress in some other states.
The meeting came amidst intense speculation that NCP and Shiv Sena are coming closer ahead of the elections. The NCP has already made it clear that it would like Samajwadi Party and Republican Party of India factions to be taken along in Maharashtra.
UPA sources said senior Congress leaders A K Antony and Ahmed Patel had a meeting with Pawar on Sunday on the issue of seat-sharing.
