Envious elements spreading NCP-Cong merger talks: Pawar

Mumbai, Jan 20 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today said used in forests envious of the NCP's growth, were floating rumours that the party would merge with the Congress.

Mr Pawar was speaking to reporters here today on the sidelines of releasing the party's manifesto for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, slated for February 1.

Mr Pawar claimed that the NCP was gaining in strength all across Maharashtra and also in Mumbai and this would become evident after the civic elections. After the civic elections, such rumours would stop on their own, he said.

On being asked about similar suggestions coming from former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chauhan, Mr Pawar said he would not like to comment on Mr Singh's statement who was a ''good friend''. As regards Mr Chauhan, he was defeated in the Lok Sabha elections by an NCP lightweight and so such suggestion from him was unwarranted, he added.

To a question, Mr Pawar said although the NCP-Congress alliance did not work out for civic elections, yet the NCP would endeavour to make post-poll efforts towards bringing the secular parties together.

The NCP thrust would be on the provision of basic amenities to the people. Asked about his comments on the talks of converting Mumbai into Shanghai, Mr Pawar remarked, ''Before creating the Taj Mahal, we should focus attention on providing the basic needs.'' To a question on the increasing influx of people from other states into Mumbai, Mr Pawar said this problem can be resolved only if these other states are able to meet the aspirations of their own people.

The election manifesto, entitled ''Sundar Mumbai, Nirogi Mumbai (Beautiful Mumbai, Healthy Mumbai)'' promises to protect all hutments that have cropped up in the metropolis upto the year 2000.

UNI