NCP debunks Shiv Sena's claim of political realignment

Mumbai, July 24 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), coalition partner in the Maharashtra government, today debunked Shiv Sena's claim of a possible alliance of Shiv Sena-BJP and NCP in future.

Addressing a press conference, NCP state unit spokesman Dr Ratnakar Mahajan described as a ''daydream'' of Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray that Shiv Sena-BJP could tie up with NCP in future citing the recent coming together of the three parties in the Rajya Sabha by-election to defeat the Congress nominee.

Industrialist Rahul Bajaj, a close friend of NCP president Sharad Pawar, contested as an independent and won the by-election on support of NCP and Shiv Sena-BJP.

Dr Mahajan said, '' the views aired in an interview by Mr Thackeray to a newspaper owned by him citing the background of an isolated incident (Bajaj election) is nothing but baseless and misleading''.

Reiterating the party's stand, Dr Mahajan said Mr Bajaj contested the by-election as an independent and NCP supported him. ''It is not for us to explain why Shiv Sena-BJP too threw their lot behind him,'' he added.

He claimed that the party's stand on the by-election was in response to its ally Congress party fielding more candidates than what was decided in the earlier Legislative council elections resulting in the NCP candidate's defeat.

The spokesman also stated that his party would not claim the Chimur and Daryapur Assembly seats vacated by Shiv Sena MLAs supporting Narayan Rane. The by-elections are scheduled in these constituencies situated in Vidarbha region after monsoons.

When asked about the candidature of Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule for the Rajya Sabha by-election necessitated due to the death of Vasant Chavan, Dr Mahajan said. ''Mr Chavan passed away just recently. It was too premature to talk about Supriya's candidature. Let the Election Commission first declare the seat vacant and issue notification for filling up the vacancy''.

He refused to make direct comment on whether the party had finalised Sule's name. ''There has been no discussion in the party forum on this issue as yet,'' he said. To a question, whether there was any opposition to her nomination, he shot back, ''why should there be any opposition?''.

Replying to a question on what role would she be given in the party, Dr Mahajan hinted that Supriya would be given a post in the state unit. He said, ''her role in the party would supplement the socio-economic work she is doing at present. State unit president Arun Gujarathi is in the process of finalising his team and it would be announced soon,'' he added.

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