NCP8217;s alliance pangs to end soon

MUMBAI, AUG 18: After weeks of negotiations and frustration, the Nationalist Congress Party NCP seems to be on the verge of finalising ...

MUMBAI, AUG 18: After weeks of negotiations and frustration, the Nationalist Congress Party NCP seems to be on the verge of finalising alliances with friendly parties8217; but not as many of them as NCP leaders would have liked to take along. A final round of discussion over seat-sharing, mainly for the assembly seats, is scheduled tomorrow afternoon and will culminate in a joint address of leaders of all parties later in the day.

Ramdas Athawale8217;s Republican Party of India has been coasting along with the NCP for a few weeks now but there is displeasure in the RPI over the meagre number of seats allotted to it 8212; three Lok Sabha and about 20 for assembly.

Athawale has been trying to get his share of seats increased. The Peasants amp; Workers Party and the Communist Party of India that initiated negotiations with the NCP drifted away and declared that an alliance was not possible largely due to NCP8217;s 8220;high-handedness and an attitude of accommodation towards people who supported the Sena-BJPgovernment8221;.

That left the most contentious parties in the fray 8212; Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal. With JD standing its ground and the SP unwilling to compromise, the broad alliance of secular and Left parties planned by NCP president Sharad Pawar seemed unlikely to happen. Party insiders say that the friction between the two parties 8212; who shared much common ground earlier 8212; and their insistence on specific seats dragged on and delayed the alliance.

For instance, the JD claimed Goregaon assembly seat but the SP wanted it too. Sorting out such claims and counter-claims took time, say NCP leaders. 8220;As on today, 99 per cent of the seat-sharing is done and we will wrap up everything now,8221; said NCP state chief Chhagan Bhujbal. If there are any problems, they will be sorted out before the date of withdrawal, he added. The Shetkari Sanghtana led by Sharad Joshi has also declared support for the NCP and will be part of the alliance.

Incidentally, both the JD and SP have declared their lists of candidatesfor some constituencies independently. Leaders of both parties said that this was done because the NCP went ahead with its own lists without waiting for alliances to be finalised. And now, with the JD announcing 8220;friendly contests8221; with the NCP in three constituencies, just ahead of Thursday8217;s big meeting, it remains to be seen how Sharad Pawar will eke out something of the great alliance that was initially expected.

Friendly contest8217; between allies

The differences between JD Secular and the NCP became official today with the former announcing that it would have 8220;friendly contests8221; with the latter in the forthcoming elections.

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The JD S has fielded candidates in three Assembly constituencies where the NCP has already nominated candidates. JD S leaders Shripatrao Shinde and Mrinal Gore said on Wednesday that the party8217;s alliance with NCP will continue with certain differences of opinion. 8220;We had problems of seat sharing with Sharad Pawar and they have been sorted out for most of theseats. However, we had claimed Digras, Chimur and Gondia Assembly constituencies from the NCP as we have a base and our activists had been working hard at these places. Surprisingly, the NCP announced its candidates from these constituencies on its own. As talks failed, we decided to field our candidates. However, these will be friendly contest and will not affect out the poll alliance,8221; Gore said.