No Cong-NCP alliance in Meghalaya: Sangma

Shillong, Apr 3: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today ruled out a Maharashtra's Congress-NCP equation in Meghalaya, even as both political parties have showed keen interest to fight the Lok Sabha polls together. The Meghalaya United Alliance legislators with 28 members-- 25 Congress and three Independents-- exuded confidence to replace the United Democratic Party-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government with the support of NCP in a span of three-months-time.

''At present, the Congress and NCP are working out for a pre-poll alliance in Maharashtra and once the agreement is finalised, I am sure the Maharashtra equation would follow in Meghalaya,'' Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee President OL Nongtdu told the sources here over phone from the national capital. In the House of 60, the NCP has 15 legislators and is backing the MPA government. In fact, former chief minister D D Lapang accompanied by Mr Nongtdu had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi informing her that the state Congress legislators are not averse of an alliance government with the NCP. However, the NCP in Meghalaya have decided to continue to support the UDP-led MPA government, with both parties agreed to share power for two-and-half years each of the total five-year-term with UDP president Donkupar Roy leading the first half while NCP general secretary P A Sangma leading the remaining years of the MPA government.

''No, we (NCP) are averse to that idea of working with the Congress in Meghalaya. It's too late now for an alliance with them. The NCP will continue and be with the MPA,'' Finance Minister and NCP leader Conrad K Sangma said over phone from New Delhi.

Mr Sangma said even Sharad Pawar has 'outrightly rejected' the Congress offer of an NCP-Congress alliance in Meghalaya and wanted the MPA government to complete its five-year term.

The MPA comprises of Nationalist Congress Party (14), United Democratic Party (11), Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (2), one each from the BJP and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement and two Independents.

UNI