NCP not breaking up with Congress, but asks them to respect Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majid Memon on Tuesday said that the Congress party must respect the sentiments of NCP and its legitimate demands regarding seats.

Commenting on the severing of ties between the National Conference and the Congress, Memon told ANI, "There is a media creation because National Conference left Jammu and Kashmir, probably they have decided to part ways. This does not necessarily mean that NCP will also dump Congress." Memon, however, also sounded a note of caution to the Congress leadership.

"The Congress must also respect Sharad Pawar, who is the uncrowned king of Maharashtra. They should also be flexible about sharing seats. They should reduce their rigidity and arrogance and be partners with NCP. If not, the Congress will disintegrate and its future will be a cause of worry," he said. "NCP is the most loyal and consistent partner of UPA right from inception. And that is why I think it is time for Congress to respect the sentiments of NCP. Also pay heed to NCP's legitimate demands regarding seats," he added.

With the Assembly polls due later this year, the Congress party had announced on Sunday that it would contest the polls in Jammu and Kashmir on its own. The NCP is also demanding a lion's share of 144 out of the 288 seats in the upcoming Assembly Elections.