Free to take our own stand, stung NCP tells Congress

Stung by the Congress' move to rule out a national alliance, NCP warned that if it breaks the coalition in the Lok Sabha elections, "we are free to take our own stand".

Stung by the Congress' move to rule out a national alliance, NCP on Thursday warned that if it breaks the coalition in the Lok Sabha elections, "we are free to take our own stand".

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"Congress does not understand the logic, essence and the function of coalition politics at the Centre. It does not understand the politics of togetherness," party spokesman D P Tripathi told PTI, showing strains in the ruling alliance.

Claiming that this will have a "bad impact" on the Congress, he said that its allies like NCP wanted the Congress to emerge stronger, but by "fighting separately, it is weakening itself".

"What answer the Congress has for the people of India that they (Congress and its allies) can run the government together, but fight elections separately," said Tripathi. He said his party has been demanding that the elections should be fought under the banner of UPA.

He regretted that politics in India has changed "but unfortunately Congress refuses to change".

"If Congress breaks this coalition in elections, we are free to take our own stand," he said.

Tripathi's comments came close on the heels of the Congress ruling out a national alliance, in a move aimed at avoiding pressure from regional allies seeking seats in several states and limiting adjustments to state-level.

The Congress' stand assumes significance in the context of allies like NCP, Paswan-led LJSP and SP making demands to Congress for seats outside the states of their influence.