Rahul Bajaj episode still haunts Mah Congress

Mumbai,July 27 (UNI) Declining to reveal its strategy to politically counter its coalition ally NCP, Maharashtra Congress today said that it would not easily forget the humiliating treatment meted out by the NCP in the recent Rajya Sabha by-election.

Addressing a press conference here, state unit spokesman Hussain Dalwai said party workers were of the view that the Congress should not take NCP's opportunitism lying down.

Replying to questions, he said the Congress is yet to take a decision on fielding a candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election neccessitated due to the death of sitting NCP MP Vasant Chavan.

He said the party would speak to NCP seeking support for the Chimur and Daryapur Assembly by-elections which will be held after monsoons neccessitated due to the resignation of the sitting Shiv Sena MLAs who recently joined the Congress.

''I do not think NCP will claim these seats'', he said and rejected the coalition partner's claim that its (NCP) support should not be taken for granted if it is not taken into confidence.

''In fact, it is the NCP which does not take us into confidence.

This was evident when the party did not even consult us when it asked industrialist Rahul Bajaj to contest as independent,'' he charged.

When asked whether the Congress would tie up with the NCP for the forthcoming crucial local bodies elections to 27 zilla parishads,308 gram panchayats,more than 150 municipal councils and 14 municipal corporations, Mr Dalwai said, ''I cannot say anything at this juncture. Party workers are not happy with NCP's conduct. Only when circumstances suit them they think of coalition''.

He said the extended working committee meeting of Maharashtra Congress would be held on July 29. Organisational matters and present political scenario would be among the issues to be discussed at the meeting which would be attended by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, AICC general secretary Margaret Alva and others, he said.

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