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Cong-NCP deal stuck over seat-sharing
A year after the Assembly polls, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are back at the negotiating table. This time, it is to decide how the allies will share seats in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections scheduled for October 31.
A year after the Assembly polls, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are back at the negotiating table. This time, it is to decide how the allies will share seats in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) elections scheduled for October 31.
The allies have not arrived at a consensus because the NCP wants to contest from more seats. The Democratic Front partners had initially talked of a 55 (Congress) - 52 (NCP) formula but the NCP has demanded more seats claiming it performed better in the last civic elections held here.
The NCP is also preparing to contest alone if the seat-sharing equation does not work out in its favour. The party will start interviewing candidates on Monday. The Congress said it will discuss the matter with a positive approach because the two parties can together beat the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance.
State Congress president Manikrao Thakre told Hindustan Times that the matter will be sorted out soon. “We have deputed revenue minister, Narayan Rane, and transport minister, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, to hold talks with the NCP,” Thakre said.
Rane said" "We are hopeful of finalising the seat-sharing formula in two to three days. We have started shortlisting candidates and preparing for the campaign."
State NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase, who is from Kalyan, said senior party leader and water resources minister Ajit Pawar will talk to the Congress. “In the last polls, we contested from fewer seats than the Congress but won more seats than they did. We are politically stronger in this region,” Tapase said.
The KDMC has 107 seats. The saffron alliance combine has been in power here for the last two decades. It has retained the seat-sharing formula from the last election.
The NCP will also demand seats for its allies, including some independents, he added.
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