Congress-NCP will benefit if decision-making fast-tracked: Sharad Pawar

The ruling Congress-NCP combine in Maharashtra will have to work hard and expedite decision making to turn the tide in its favour ahead of the crucial assembly polls due later this year, NCP president Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday.

The two parties will also fight the elections together, he said.

"Congress and NCP, which are seeking the fourth term in office, will fight the Assembly polls in alliance," he said.

"If we expedite important decisions in the next two months, then only the ruling combine will benefit," he told reporters.

Pawar expressed confidence that Congress will return to power in the state despite the current political situation.

Congress has won only two seats in Maharashtra in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections.

Pawar has convened a meeting of NCP ministers, senior leaders, office-bearers on May 22 and 23 to take stock of the Lok Sabha results in which his party's tally was whittled down to only four seats. The NCP had contested 21 seats.

On Lok Sabha results, Pawar said he had expected BJP to win a little over 200 seats and Congress' tally in the range of 80-100 seats. "However, the actual results were unexpected," he said.

Pawar said that BJP made a good use of the electronic media to campaign aggressively.

"We brought schemes but failed to ensure effective execution like implementation of the Food Security Act. A lot of time was wasted on the issue of making Aadhar Card mandatory for gas cylinders. In the end, we had to face people's wrath," the NCP chief said.

"Even in cases of corruption like the 2G, CWG or coal scams, it was the judiciary which initiated action. So people were angry with the government," the outgoing Union agriculture minister said.

When asked about the depleted Opposition strength in the Lok Sabha, Pawar said the situation will help new faces to emerge as good orators.