NCP finalising alliance with IJP, CPI(M-L) for UP poll

Lucknow, Mar 16 (UNI) Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today announced it was finalising seat sharing agreement with Indian Justice Party (IJP) and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) for the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Talking to reporters here, NCP state unit president Dr Ramesh Dixit said the seat sharing arrangement would help strengthen the secular alliance.

''To strengthen secular parties, we have already submitted a list of 25 probables from our party to Jan Morcha Alliance (JMA), IJP and CPI (M-L), CPI (M) and CPI. In the coming days, we will release our list in co-ordination with progressive communist parties.'' He also appealed to Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal, JMA to form a credible defence against ''communal forces'' in the state election.

UNI