NCP softens stance, responds to Congress’ patch-up efforts

While the Nationalist Congress Party indicated in New Delhi that a decision on staying or pulling out of the central government could be taken on Thursday, the party seemed willing to resolve issues in the state, and its leaders attended the penultimate monsoon assembly session on Tuesday.

While the Nationalist Congress Party indicated in New Delhi that a decision on staying or pulling out of the central government could be taken on Thursday, the party seemed willing to resolve issues in the state, and its leaders attended the penultimate monsoon assembly session on Tuesday.

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NCP state president Madhukar Pichad also responded to state Congress president Manikrao Thakre’s letter on starting co-ordination meetings in the state to resolve the issues in the alliance government.

Pichad wrote a letter to Thakre asking him for a date when a co-ordination committee of both parties can meet to sort out contentious issues in the state. Thakre wrote back saying that he would check with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan before replying to the letter.

On Monday, Thakre had sent a letter to Pichad offering to set up a co-ordination committee to resolve differences between the two alliance partners, who are ruling state together since 1999.

The ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature will conclude on Wednesday and the ruling alliance is expected to announce relief measures for the areas which have drought-like situation due to deficient rainfall. The state government is also expecting a financial package from the Center to tide over the crisis.

In another development, chief minister Chavan had a long meeting with public works minister Chhagan Bhujbal who has been under fire from the Opposition over the controversial Maharashtra Sadan deal with a contractor. Following the meeting, Bhujbal strongly defended himself on the floor of the assembly. Sources in the NCP said senior party ministers including deputy chief minister Pawar are likely to go to Delhi on Wednesday to take part in the discussion over pulling out of the Congress-led UPA.