Sena, BJP, NCP activists join Congress

Mumbai, Oct 26 (UNI) In a veiled attack on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Maharashtra Congress President Prabha Rau today criticised political parties using official machinery at their disposal to ensure growth of their organisation.

Addressing a press conference after admitting former NCP and Shiv Sena legislators and sitting BJP corporators from Pune district into the party-fold, Ms Rau said all those who have joined the Congress speak about the NCP's high-handedness in the district.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said he has to adhere to the consensus politics because he was running a coalition government. ''But, Congress will prove its strength and supremacy in the ensuing local bodies polls,'' he said confidently.

Marketing Minister Harshvardhan Patil, who hails from Pune district said Congress will race ahead of all its political rivals in the elections.

Former Shiv Sena MLA from Junnar Balasaheb Dangat, former NCP MLA Dynaneshwar Landge, former Zilla Parishad President from NCP Devram Lande, sitting BJP Corporators from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation Amrut Parad and Urmila Khade and BJP candidate who contested against Sharad Pawar from Baramati in 2004 parliamentary elections Pratibha Lokhande were prominent among those who joined the Congress in the day.

Apart from Mr Deshmukh and Ms Rau, Pune MP Suresh Kalmadi and MLA Anantrao Thopte were present on the occasion.

UNI MR KU PA KP2001