NCP attacks ex-CM Chavan over poll rout in Maharashtra

Mumbai, Oct 19: NCP today blamed former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan for the poor showing by the party and also Congress in the Assembly polls.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said Chavan's move to get even with his rivals within his party Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led outfit led to the debacle of the former allies, who ruled the State for 15 years before parting ways.

Malik, who won Anushaktinagar Assembly seat in Mumbai with a margin of about 5,000 votes, told PTI that Chavan employed "conspiratorial tactics" to malign NCP and his own rivals within Congress, which cost the two parties dear in the polls.

Stating the results are likely to throw a hung House, he asserted that NCP will not compromise with its "secular" ideology while deciding about its future course of action. Trends show BJP emerging as the single largest party but falling short of a simple majority followed by Shiv Sena with Congress and NCP far behind in seat projections.

NCP President Sharad Pawar discussed poll results and party's future course of action with senior leader Praful Patel, his nephew Ajit Pawar and daughter Supriya Sule.

PTI