Congress rethinks, set to form alliance with NCP for BMC Elections

Just when we thought that the pre poll alliance talks was restricted only for the BJP and Sena, the Congress has now softened its stand and it seems all ready for an alliance with the Sharad Pawar led NCP, following pressure from senior party leaders

 

Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam confirmed to TOI that a seat-sharing formula with NCP is on cards mainly to defeat communal forces. “We had a prolonged meeting on the preparations for the BMC polls. Many senior leaders expressed the view that to avoid a split in secular votes, we should join hands with the NCP,” he said. “Besides granting all 14 seats that NCP had won in the 2012 polls, we will share some more seats with them. We will ensure the Shiv Sena’s defeat.”

 

Earlier, when Nirupam had made it clear that the Congress will not tie up with the NCP, Sachin Ahir had declared NCP’s first list of 45 candidates for the BMC polls. Subsequently, not only state NCP president Sunil Tatkare and NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, but even Pawar stressed the need for an alliance with the Congress, but Nirupam had rejected the proposal.