RPI(A) for alliance with NCP in ZP, panchayat samiti elections

Kolhapur, Feb 21 (UNI) Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale today said his RPI faction has decided to ally with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the upcoming zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Maharashtra, barring certain districts of Vidarbha.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Athawale said NCP leader and State Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil has assured a favourable seat allotment for his party.

However, his RPI faction will not ally with the NCP in Nagpur and some other districts in Vidharba since all the RPI factions have decided to join hands and contest the elections unitedly there.

Mr Athawale said that the Congres and NCP in Raigad district, at present, are engaged in seat-sharing talks. If his RPI faction is not alloted adequate number of seats here, then it would join hands with the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), he warned.

Meanwhile, speaking on the Khairlanji massacre issue, Mr Athawale expressed dissatisfaction with the CBI inquiry while noting that 36 of the 47 persons booked by the local police, have been freed by the CBI.

UNI