Pawar hints at fresh UPA-Left understanding

Left parties,which severed links with the Congress-led UPA on the issue of Indo-US nuke deal,are inclined to have a fresh understanding with secular partners in the ruling alliance,NCP chief Sharad Pawar claimed on Wednesday.

Left parties,which severed links with the Congress-led UPA on the issue of Indo-US nuke deal,are inclined to have a fresh understanding with secular partners in the ruling alliance,NCP chief Sharad Pawar claimed on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters after a public rally,Pawar said he had contacted the CPM general secretary Prakash Karat after the latter had reportedly made a statement to that effect recently.

Pawar said he expected further discussions on the matter between Left and the secular constituents of UPA.

The NCP president said he wanted all UPA constituents to fight the next elections collectively.

“But I do not know whether this would materialise”,he added.

Pawar said NCP would be contesting about 50 to 60 Lok Sabha seats across the country and would work out a state-specific seat-sharing arrangement.

In reply to a question,he said former Maharashtra Minister Narayan Rane,suspended by Congress recently,had called on him in Pune a couple of days back.

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“I do not think he wants to quit Congress. I feel that he would remain in that party with which we have an alliance in Maharashtra. However,a final decision in this regard is to be taken by Rane himself”,he added.

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