Sharad Pawar says no truck with any other coalition

Mumbai, Apr 4 (ANI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has said he has no truck with any other coalition other than the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

The NCP had caused a flutter in political circles when its leaders shared a common platform with 'Third Front' leaders in Orissa, ruled by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Pawar said that his party had an electoral understanding with the BJD in Orissa, but that did not mean that his party was part of the Third Front which opposes the UPA.

The Communists spearheaded the rally at Bhubaneswar last week.

"The meeting at Bhubaneshwar was organised by the BJD under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. He has invited some other parties also, but it was not the platform of the Left Front or Third Front. My thinking is to associate with anybody, either the UPA partners or anybody where we have alignment. But we have no alignment or understanding with Left Front," Pawar said after releasing his party's poll manifesto on Friday.

Pawar said his party would continue to be part of the UPA.

"We will remain with the UPA and will not take any step which can benefit the NDA," Pawar said.

Pawar had earlier gone on record that any new Congress Government may have to rely on support from the Communists or other regional parties to win a parliamentary majority after a general election.

Pawar, who formed the NCP after being expelled from the Congress, is again in alliance with the party. (ANI)