Cong not to ally with NCP in local body elections in Pune: Kalmadi

Pune, Mar 6 (UNI) Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi today said the party would sever ties with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) at the local level and contest local body elections on its own henceforth in the city.

Mr Kalmadi announced the decision soon after Congress nominee Jayant Bhokare won the Pune Municipal Corporation standing committee chairman's election by a whisker.

Mr Kalmadi alleged that the NCP had entered into some ''adjustments'' with the Shiv Sena during the recent assembly by-election in Srivardhan. ''Therefore, we will not ally with the NCP at the local level,'' he said.

In today's PMC standing committee elections, too, the NCP had supported the Congress rebel candidate thereby diminishing Mr Bhokare's prospects.

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