MNS has no place by our side, declares congress
Nirupam said despite MNS' insistence on joining the alliance, both the Congress and NCP had agreed not to take the party onboard.
Mumbai: The Congress leadership in New Delhi is not in favour of including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the grand alliance, said a senior party leader.
Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam said that it was decided after a detailed discussion in the last meeting with the Congress and National-ist Congress Party (NCP) that the MNS could not be allowed to join the Mahagathbandhan.
Des-pite MNS’ insistence to join the alliance, both the Congress and NCP had agreed not to take the MNS into the alliance at the meeting, he said.
Mr Nirupam said, “The Congress will raise this again in the next meeting with the NCP. The MNS does not have a place in our alliance.”
Congress sources said that the party high command had told NCP president Sharad Pawar that the MNS could not be given a place in the grand alliance, as they had nothing to offer to the alliance in the Lok Sabha election except damaging the prospect of the alliance.