Pawar to skip PM's dinner, no decision yet on pulling out of Govt

Sharad Pawar will not be among the ministers present at the PM's dinner for outgoing president, Pratibha Patil. Mr Pawar's RSVP conveys what the Congress is worried about - that he is prone to pulling his party out of the union government, and will provide external support to the ruling coalition. After a meeting of senior leaders in Delhi today, Mr Pawar's deputy, Praful Patel, has said that they will consult with their Maharashtra leaders before deciding what happens next, most likely tomorrow. "We will stay responsible to the UPA. We are not a post-poll ally. We will continue to support the UPA till the very end," said Mr Patel.