NCP-led front will rule State — Pawar

Addressing a news conference in Sangvi, Pawar said he had addressed meetings in all parts of the State and, according to his assessment, the NCP and its allies, including the Republican Party of India (Athavale group), were getting huge support, particularly from the younger generation.

“The high voting figures in the first round of voting is an indication of this support. Over 50 per cent of the Shiv Sena vote base has switched over to the NCP. The Muslim voters too have made a resolve to defeat the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and NCP is the alternative for them. The misrule of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and opposition to Sonia Gandhi because she is trying to be a foreigner prime minister are the factors which are making a major impact,” he said. He maintained that the poll survey results by weekly news magazines were losing their credibility. “Nowadays it has become yet another means of campaigning.”

Pawar denied that he had made any suggestion of providing support to a Congress minus Sonia Gandhi. He said that no final decision had been taken on the matter. Pawar said he alone would not take a decision but would discuss it with leaders like Deve Gowda, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Ramdas Athavale after October 3.

He asserted that the NCP would, however, stop the tendency of parties withdrawing support on frivolous grounds and without providing an alternative.

He claimed that the Kargil factor would not help the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the elections. He said that the negligence of the Government had led to the intrusion by Pakistan for which the nation had paid a heavy cost. “The NCP has been stressing on this in its campaign and it is having its desired impact.”