Sonia Gandhi holds consultations with Congress leaders on joining West Bengal government

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's meeting with her, Congress President Sonia Gandhi held consultations with senior colleagues on the issue of her party's participation in the next West Bengal government.

Gandhi held talks with her political secretary Ahmed Patel and senior leader Shakeel Ahmed, who is in charge of party affairs for West Bengal.

The meeting came a day after Shakeel Ahmed and Pranab Mukherjee ascertained the views of newly-elected Congress MLAs in the state.

The Congress appears to be turning positive on the issue of joining the Mamata-led government in West Bengal.

Though Mamata's party has gained majority on its own, she has invited the Congress and SUCI to join the government.

There is a talk in Congress that it might appoint an observer for holding talks with Trinamool to discuss modalities of government formation.

Gandhi could even attend the swearing-in ceremony in Kolkata. Banerjee has a good rapport with Gandhi as also Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.