NCP against politicisation of Marathi issue

Nationalist Congress Party today came out against politicisation of the Marathi issue and said hooliganism in its name does not speak good about the state's culture and tradition.

"No one questions the importance of Marathi in the state. People of the state should not be held to ransom over the fight of two families. Politics of provocation and intimidation is not good," NCP Maharashtra unit president Madhukar Pichad said here today.

Instead of debating important developmental issues facing the state, opposition parties are playing up emotive issues in the name of language and region, he said, adding that this would harm the state's interests.

Pichad, who took over as Maharashtra unit president of NCP in December last year, said that the state unit's new executive committee would be announced on February nine.

"I met our president Sharad Pawar and discussed the new team of office-bearers yesterday in Delhi," he said. State unit spokesman Madan Bafna said the party's two-day conclave would get underway at Aurangabad on February six.

Pawar would address the gathering on the second day. Similarly, a two-day meeting of select 500 office-bearers of the party from all over the country is being planned in Karla, Pune district on March 13 and 14.