Cong-NCP alliance talk moves Delhi

Mumbai: After the state leadership of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) failed to reach any agreement on the alliance, both the parties have now decided to settle the issue at the high command level in New Delhi.

The negotiations betw-een the two parties rem-ained unresolved because of four Lok Sabha seats — South Ahmednagar, Jal-ana, Jalgaon and Pune.

Sources from the two parties informed that accommodating other alliance partners such as Raju Shetti and Prakash Amedkar’s parties is another issue where the state leaders could not come to an agreement.

“Now presidents of both parties will meet next week in New Delhi to res-olve the unsettled issues,” said a senior Congress leader.

“Out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the state leaders of both parties have resolved issues on 44 seats. Only four seats are now the bone of contention,” the leader added.

State Congress president Ashok Chavan admitted that the further alliance talks will be held now at the level of Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi.

“Almost all major issues have been solved in Maharashtra. There are few things that need to be ironed out, for which we will be approaching Mr Gandhi and Mr Pawar,” he said.

Other parties in the proposed alliance have also demanded lot more seats than what the Congress and NCP are ready to leave for them.

Mr Shetti’s Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathana, which has never had more than one member of Parliament, has asked for six seats.

Similarly, Mr Amb-edkar’s Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh, which has already tied up with AIMIM, has demanded 12 seats. Sources informed that the Congress leaders are still undecided on whether they even want Mr Ambedkar in the alliance or not.

“We are expecting to conclude all negotiations by the first week of January. Both the parties will again hit the road by January 15 to mobilise the people before elections,” said a senior NCP leader.