Mira-Bhayander poll defeat is unexpected:NCP

Mumbai, Aug 16 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today termed its defeat in the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation as 'unexpected' and said the reasons for the poll reverses would be probed.

Addressing a press conference here, NCP spokesman Madan Bafna admitted there was concern in the party over the erosion in its base in urban areas and promised effective steps to retain it.

Mr Bafna rejected reports that the party was planning to cobble up an anti-Congress alliance in the Mira-Bhayander civic body and get its own Mayor elected. ''We will either go with the Congress or occupy opposition benches,''he asserted.

NCP, which was the ruling party in the outgoing civic body, was expecting at least 30 seats, he said. It may be recalled that Congress emerged as single largest party with 30 seats while the seat tally of NCP fell from 33 to 20 in the recent elections, the result of which was announced on Monday.

Mr Bafna said the party had taken the defeat seriously and the lapses, if any, would be checked and corrected. He said there was no need to set up an inquiry committee. He pointed out that anti-incumbency factor may have played a role in the defeat. ''We will also find out if there were factional feuds which resulted in the poll reverses,''he added.

Mr Bafna rejected the contention that the party lost due to allegations against NCP leaders in the Mira-Bhayander township, known for its real estate boom.

He refuted reports quoting union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar asking agriculturists to stop farming. ''He had just said that farmers should not depend on just tilling their land, but should involve themselves in agro-allied jobs also to make their families financially sound,''Bafna added.

UNI