Alliance with Congress intact: Pawar

AHMEDNAGAR: NCP President Sharad Pawar has said there was no possibility of his outfit joining hands with any other party as it was already in alliance with Congress.
    
"Congress and NCP are politically together and there is no possibility of allying with any other party," he said here on Tuesday evening.
    
Pawar's statement comes days after his surprise meeting with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray in Mumbai. The meet had sparked speculation of possible political re-alignment in Maharashtra, where Assembly polls are due late next year.
    
NCP, which Pawar had formed after breaking away from Congress in 1999, is in alliance with the grand old party at the Centre and also in a couple of states, including Maharashtra.
    
About the possibility of change of Chief Minister in the state, the Maratha strongman said it was an internal matter of the Congress party.
    
However, alliance parties should be taken into confidence if there was any possibility of leadership change, he said.
    
On BJP winning Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Pawar said the results were on expected lines.
    
"BJP's victory in Gujarat was being predicted, while in Himachal Pradesh it is a trend to change government every five years," the Union Minister said.
    
About BSP's plan to focus on Maharashtra, he said Mayawati's party did cause any damage to NCP and Congress in May 2004 Lok Sabha polls, but the two parties recovered ground in the Assembly elections held a few months later.