Congress says it knew NCP was cozying up to BJP

He claimed the split will put the Congress at an advantage. “Among all the parties, it is only the Congress which can provide a corruption-free government, has presence across the state and has leaders worthy of becoming the CM,” he said. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza claimed the split has enthused the Congress workers. “We are happy to go alone and we will prove it,” she said. Congress leaders also said it was NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s chief ministerial ambitions that complicated the seat-sharing talks.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said significant differences on “critical issues” had forced the NCP to take the ‘bold’ step. He said his party would seek support of “other secular parties” to put up a good fight.

While the Congress claimed that the NCP’s move was ‘expected’, top Congress leaders had kept their fingers crossed till late Thursday night, even after the NCP announced its decision to sever the ties. Some channels of communication were kept open and the AICC communication department was asked not to react to the development for sometime, sources said. However, it became clear around midnight that the NCP was not going back on its decision and the Congress decided to go with its alternative plan.

Sources said despite the NCP’s claim that there was a lack of communication from the Congress, the two parties negotiated through Thursday on the 16 extra seats that the Congress offered to the NCP.