It was a day of frenetic negotiations and quiet but urgent decision-making at the Democratic Front yesterday, as panic mounted over the Congress-NCP impasse. NCP ministers in the state cabinet looked poised to follow in the footsteps of their leaders in Delhi, who have stopped attending their offices, returned government vehicles, and given the Congress an ultimatum. On the other hand, the state’s Congress unit struggled to maintain its composure amidst reports that some of the party MLAs had submitted a letter targeting CM Prithviraj Chavan, and expressing unhappiness with the affairs of the state.

Face-off: u00a0Ajit Pawar stayed away from the state cabinet meeting held at Vidhan Bhavan yesterday. File pic