Decision on NCP alliance with Sena, Cong for local body polls in a fortnight: Pawar

Amid the ongoing war of words between the ruling partners NCP and Congress over joining hands with the BJP in Bhandara and Gondia zilla parishad 9ZP) polls in violation of alliance dharma, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the decision on Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners contesting the upcoming local and civic body elections together will be taken within a fortnight.

Elections are due for 20 municipal corporations, 25 zilla parishads, 210 municipal councils, but the ball is now in the Supreme Court, which is expected to give its ruling on May 17.

The State Election Commission (SEC) in its special affidavit filed in the apex court last week has submitted that it be allowed to complete the pre-election process by July, announce the poll schedule in September, hold civic body elections, including BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation in October and local body polls in November.

Both the ruling and the opposition parties are insisting on not to hold the elections in the absence of the 27% political reservation to the other backward classes (OBC) in the local and civic bodies which has been scrapped by the apex court.

“State NCP chief Jayant Patil will hold discussions with allies Shiv Sena and Congress over an alliance or going solo in the ensuing local and civic body elections. Thereafter, the party will take a decision in a fortnight,’’ said Pawar.

The upcoming local and civic body elections are being termed as “mini assembly’’ poll. The MVA partners face challenge from the BJP which had focused on spreading its wings during the last seven and half years despite losing power after former ally Shiv Sena formed the government by aligning with the NCP and Congress. Pawar, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, state Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut have recently at different platforms asserted that united MVA partners can defeat the BJP.