Gujarat Elections: Congress-NCP likely to cement 'broken alliance' to take on BJP

In a dramatic turn, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party is likely to cement its earlier broken alliance for the Gujarat assembly elections scheduled on December 9 and 14.

Congress had already sealed the deal with JD(U) led by tribal leader and MLA Chhotu Vasava by giving them three seats mostly in the tribal belt in Gujarat. Congress wants a grand alliance with all secular parties in Gujarat elections.

Congress already declared it's first list of the candidates that had also included the NCP sitting MLA constituency. So, NCP had also declared to go solo by contesting all 182 seats of Gujarat assembly.

However, according to sources, Congress did not want to split the secular and anti-government votes that can favour the BJP in the fierce and prestigious contest under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.

"As a course correction, senior NCP leader Praful Patel and Congress Gujarat president Bharatsinh met over seat sharing on Tuesday. In the meeting, Congress agreed to relent 8 to 9 seats to NCP against its earlier demand of 11 seats. Initially, Congress had only offered four seats,” said source who is privy to this backdoor development. 

NCP leader Praful Patel is already in Delhi while Bharatsinh Solanki would reach on Wednesday to take final approval from his party high command in Delhi.

"We will address the joint press conference to declare the Congress-NCP and Sharad Yadav led (JD-U)grand alliance for Gujarat elections.

Congress party has realised that in 2019 Lok Sabha elections not a single party would form the government. It is the collation era so all small and big secular parties have stuck to the grand alliance to fight against BJP. Congress has to take the lead and take all small parties together," Senior NCP leader told DNA requested anonymity.

Interestingly, after its formal break with Congress in 2014, the NCP chief Sharad Pawar first time addressing joint Congress -NCP workers rally on his birthday on December 12 in Nagpur.

"Sharad Pawar is the senior most leader and astute politician. He understands in which way the political wind is blowing and accordingly, he takes the stand. Now, Pawar Saheb’s willingness to fight with Congress is a most welcoming stand for us. We want to capitalise the failure of BJP government. Besides, people have lost the trust in this incumbent government. Nagpur rally will be one of the biggest rally that will send the signal to a future grand alliance," said Congress leader.