Cong, NCP to go separate ways in Mumbai Civic polls

Mumbai, Jan 13 (UNI) Talks between Congress and National Congress Party for seat adjustments for the high profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were called off today due to disagreement over a couple of seats even though the formula of 162:65 was agreed upon by the two parties.

The last date for filing of nominations in the February 1 polls is January 15.

Calling off the alliance, NCP Mumbai unit President Sachin Ahir blamed the ''high handedness'' and ''egoistic'' attitude of the Congress about its strength in the metropolis for the failure of talks while his deputy Nawab Malik charged that the anti-Gurudas Kamat lobby in the Congress was responsible for the breakdown of talks.

They said the NCP strength in the city had grown over the last five years and the seat sharing formula should have been decided accordingly.

On the other hand, city unit Congress President Gurudas Kamat ridiculed the claims of NCP about its strength stating that in the last five by-elections held for the civic body, Congress had won four while NCP emerged victorious only in one seat.

''If they say their strength has increased, has not our position grown,'' he asked.

Mr Kamat denied the breakdown of alliance would have any effect on the performance of the Congress in the prestigious polls.

''We will have to campaign a little harder. Otherwise, our workers and candidates are ready to face the poll our own strength,'' he added.

Mr Kamat said NCP's claim in Mumbai did not go beyond 45 seats and still due to the large heartedness of the Congress party, they were given 20 additional seats. ''There were many seats where the NCP got only 800 votes in the 2002 polls while Congress candidates had polled more than 8,000 votes,'' he added.

Mr Kamat, without referring to Maharashtra PWD Minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, said there are some top NCP leaders who despite belonging to Mumbai had to go to Yeola in Nashik district to contest the 2004 Assembly Elections.

''Yeola was a Congress seat and its candidate had lost the previous elections by about 200 votes. There were 14 such assembly segments which the Congress gave NCP in the seat sharing adjustment.

But, the NCP leaders did not show such magnamity to give a proper seat to our leader Rajhans Singh, in the Mumbai Civic body,'' Mr Kamat added.

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