Pawar grumbles over Congress's "patchwork" alliances

Pune/Chennai, Mar 13 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has charged the Congress with entering into "patchwork" alliances.

"One front, with common programme, with one leader and we suggested the name of Dr. Manmohan Singh. Unfortunately, Congress party has taken a decision that they will make an alignment state-wise and not country as a whole. It should have taken a national level alternative which it has failed to do," Pawar said in Pune.

Meanwhile, the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) have held their first round of seat sharing talks in Chennai.

"We have strong faith that we will win the elections and will form the UPA coalition government again in the Centre," said M K Stalin, state minister and DMK treasurer, who is expected to take over the mantle from his father, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi.

Earlier, the Left and major regional parties joined hands to take on the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming general elections by launching the 'Third Force'.

On March 2, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) chief Deve Gowda had announced the formation of a Third Front, an alliance of eight parties, including the Left.

The parties, supporting Deve Gowda are: Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), Forward Bloc, Republican Party of India (RPI), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Janata Dal Secular (JDS). (ANI)