Cong, NCP may join forces for Guj election

With the Congress planning to float a mega anti-BJP front in the ensuing Gujarat assembly elections, Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has shown interest in reuniting with the former.

Following Gujarat Congress’ appeal to various political parties to join hands with it to defeat the ruling BJP in the elections, sources in the NCP said the party brass is considering the option and leaders from both parties are currently in touch.

The party would be interested in joining hands with the Congress if it gets a decent number of seats for them in seat-sharing arrangement said sources. “The final decision will be taken by party chief Sharad Pawar and senior leader Praful Patel,”they added.

In its bid to put up a strong challenge to the BJP in Gujarat, the Congress has already reached out to Patidar leader Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakore and Dalit community leader Jignesh Mewani. Of them, Thakor has already announced his decision to join the Congress.

“The NCP was always in the favour of a front of like-minded parties against the BJP,”said NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik on Monday.

Two days ago, Gujarat state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki, said their doors are open for the NCP.

The statement is an indication of a thaw in the relations between the two parties following bitterness after the Congress accused the NCP of not voting for its candidate and senior leader Ahmed Patel in recent Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat.

“There are feelers from the Congress and we have responded but a lot also depends on what we get in terms of seats,”said a senior NCP leader.

Congress brass was upset with the NCP as one of the two party MLAs voted for BJP candidate Balwantsinh Rajput in the Gujarat fray. Though the NCP said the other MLA voted for Patel, the Congress suspected the NCP actually helped the BJP.

SP TO CONTEST 5 SEATS

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav announced on Monday that the party will contest five of the 182 assembly seats in Gujarat and support the Congress on the rest.

He said the party did not want a split in the anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) votes and hence would contest only the seats where it has got strong organisational base.

Asked if he would campaign in Gujarat, the SP chief said, “I will campaign where our candidates are in the fray. If any other party approaches me, I can campaign for it.” The Congress and the SP had struck an alliance in UP earlier this year.

MUMBAI: