Cong, NCP regroup, focus on joint decision-making

The co-ordination committee meeting of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) held on Saturday evening, to have a consensus on big policy decisions and iron out pending grouses, was a tame affair with allies deciding to skirt the past and focus on the future.

The co-ordination committee meeting of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) held on Saturday evening, to have a consensus on big policy decisions and iron out pending grouses, was a tame affair with allies deciding to skirt the past and focus on the future.

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This was the first meeting held between the allies after an agreement was reached between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and top Congress leadership. Earlier, Pawar had threatened to quit the Union government, pointing to lack of co-ordination between the allies at the Centre and in the state.

“We have decided to meet once a month. We talked of identifying 10 to 15 big projects from infrastructure to irrigation, which should be completed in the next two years. We should have something big to showcase to the people before 2014,” said union minister Praful Patel, member of the co-ordination committee.

The NCP was represented by Patel, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and state party president Madhukar Pichad, whereas Congress was represented by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, AICC incharge for Maharashtra Mohan Prakash and state party president Manikrao Thakre.

The NCP raised the issue of increasing the number of members in the co-ordination committee, which had been restricted to three from each party as per Congress’ request. However, no decision was taken on this.

“The transfers of IAS and IPS officers should be done in consultation with the deputy CM and for IPS officials, also with the home minister. We should be a part of the decision making and this was agreed upon,” said Pawar. “One day, we were told the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link has been cancelled. Such decisions cannot be taken without a joint discussion.”