Boot out NCP, say Cong men

Voices within the Congress suggesting breaking of alliance with NCP have become shriller with more leaders across the state chanting ‘ekla chalo re (go it alone) for all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

MPCC president Manickrao Thackre on Monday held a meeting of district leaders at the state Congress headquarters to elicit the mood within the party. After the meeting, chief minister Ashok Chavan and Thackre left for Delhi to apprise the AICC about the developments. Although top leaders tried to play down the acrimony against NCP, an insider said, “There is anger within the Congress against NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s double game.” The party also cannot tolerate the NCP projecting its leader Sharad Pawar as prime minister against Manmohan Singh, he added.

More than 80 state Congress executive officials, including district presidents expressed unhappiness over their party’s alliance with the NCP arguing it will go against their interest while almost 10 district Congress leaders said, “NCP cannot be trusted any longer. On one hand they are talking to us and demanding seats from our quota and on the other they are shaking hands with Shiv Sena to plot Congress’ defeat.”

At the end of the meeting, Thackre said: “We want an honourable alliance.” He indicated there are members in the party who strongly feel that Congress should contest all the 48 seats. However, the meeting concluded with the top leadership deciding to leave the final decision on the alliance to Sonia Gandhi.

An MPCC general secretary said, “At the closed-door meeting, members vehemently argued against an alliance with NCP. Poll pact with NCP will prove detrimental in several key constituencies as it will work with Sena to erode Congress base in Vidarbha, Ahmednagar, Pune and Marathwada.”

The internal assessment of the party leaders at the meeting was that they will be able to win between13-16 seats if they were to contest all 48 seats. Whereas, even if they go for alliance the maximum they will manage is 10-12 seats. But contesting all 48 seats on their own will help them to retain their party base for the coming assembly elections.

Former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who has sensed the party pulse, has been advocating against any compromise on 2004 seat-sharing formula. He has stated the Congress should not leave its claim on 27 seats giving 21 seats to NCP. But mediators within the Congress, including Chavan and Thackre are ready for give and take, thus indicating Congress 26 and NCP 22.