'My demand of 144 seats justified', Ajit Pawar

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday justified his demand of 144 assembly seats during the seat sharing agreement with Congress for the ensuing assembly elections in the state.

He was speaking to media persons during a press conference after the Nirdhaar Melawa of the party workers. Pawar pointed out that during the seat sharing discussions between Congress and NCP for the last two elections in 2004 and 2009, he was present and Congress had argued their demand on the basis of seats won in the Lok Sabha elections.

Pawar pointed out that since NCP has won four seats and Congress has won only two seats, NCP was reasonable in demanding fifty percent assembly seats in the state.

Tatkare made it clear that even though Congress and NCP would be contesting assembly elections together, NCP has asked party aspirants from all the 288 assembly constituencies to send their applications.

He said that NCP President Sharad Pawar and Congress President Sonia Gandhi have decided that both the parties would contest this elections together, but NCP has asked the party aspirants from all the constituencies to send their applications to state unit.