Congress-NCP alliance talks to shift to Delhi
Sources said that Congress is still to take policy decision on whether to keep Mr Ambedkar in an alliance or not.
Mumbai: The alliance talks of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party will shift to Delhi now. State leaders failed to resolve the issues on four Lok Sabha seats including South Ahmednagar, Jalana, Jalgaon and Pune. Also accommodation of alliance partners such as Raju Shetti and Prakash Ambedkar too the contentious issue. Now, presidents of both parties will meet in next week to find the way out.
Out of 48 LS seats, the state leaders of both parties have resolved issues on 40 seats. Strong claims of Congress on South Ahmednagar and Jalgaon whereas, Nationalist Congress Party’s claims on Jalna and Pune couldn’t be resolved, said sources. So, both sides have decided to take the issues to Delhi now.
“Almost all major issues have been solved here in Maharashtra. We will talk to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar for final talks. We will follow what they will decide at the highest level,” said Congress state chief Ashok Chavan.
Another major issue still unsolved in alliance is about accommodating smaller parties. Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana’s Raju Shetti had asked six seats. Earlier both parties were ready to give him only one seat. But he is asking minimum two. Another leader Prakash Ambedkar of Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh had asked 12 seats. Sources said that Congress is still to take policy decision on whether to keep Mr Ambedkar in an alliance or not. So his offer is still pending. “We are expecting to complete all the talks by January first week. Both parties will again hit the road by mid January to mobilise the people before elections. The clear of picture of an alliance would emerge by then only,” said a senior NCP leader.
Chavan earlier said that the two parties held talks on Friday with other like-minded outfits such as the CPI, CPM, Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), Samajwadi Party and Prakash Ambedkar’s Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh.
“The talks were positive. The issue of seat-sharing will be discussed in Delhi with (Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi and (general secretary) Mallikarjun Kharge,” he said.