NCP to go it alone as talks with Cong fail

Withjustadayleft to file nominationsforthefirstphaseof Gujarat assembly elections, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to contest solo.

SeniorNCPleaderPrafulPatel announcedthedecisiononMonday after discussions for an alliance with the Congress failed.

“Wewantedtocontestthepolls in Gujarat with the Congress. Talks were going on for the past 20 days but the Congress did not seem serious and kept delaying thedecision,thusleavinguswith nooptionbuttofightonourown,” Patel said.

PartysourcessaidtheNCPgot upset after the Congress announced a candidate from Kutiyana constituency in Porbandar, which is currently with the NCP.

With the announcement, the Congressmadeitclearthatitwas notinterested in analliance, said a leader.

“Tuesdayisthelastdayforfiling nominations, so we cannot wait to finalise talks,” he said.

TheNCPhastwoMLAsinthe Gujarat assembly. In 2012, the party had won seven seats in arrangementwiththeCongress.

NCP sources said on Sunday morning,Pawarhadatelephonic conversationwithCongressvicepresidentRahulGandhi,wherein the NCP demanded 11 seats. The Congress top brass is upset with the NCP as one of its two MLAs votedforBJPcandidateBalwantsinh Rajput during the recent RajyaSabhaelectionsinGujarat.

MUMBAI: