Cong-NCP coordination body to meet on Saturday

Fireworks are expected at the first meeting of the revived coordination committee of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday.

Fireworks are expected at the first meeting of the revived coordination committee of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday.

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The panel was revived after the recent standoff between the two parties, which share power in Maharashtra.

Mohan Prakash, the Congress party in-charge of Maharashtra affairs, said the two parties would try to resolve all contentious issues during the meeting.

However, sources said the two parties will raise grievances with each other. While the Congress will bring up NCP’s decision to join hands with the BJP in Vidarbha for the local body polls, Sharad Pawar’s party could take on its ally for not taking them into confidence for key decisions.

The NCP had recently threatened to withdraw from the UPA, alleging that the Congress was ignoring its allies in the coalition. NCP, which is also a major coalition partner in the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra, had also complained that the coordination committee had not met in the last three years.

The NCP also attacked Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, questioning his style of functioning.

NCP withdrew its threat after the Congress agreed to set up a coordination mechanism with its allies at the Centre, and reactivate the panel in Maharashtra.

The first meeting of the Central committee is also expected to be held soon.