NCP, a key constituent of the UPA coalition at the Centre, proposed that the entire alliance, comprising a dozen parties, should "collectively" fight the next Lok Sabha elections.
NEW DELHI: NCP, a key constituent of the UPA coalition at the Centre, on Friday proposed that the entire alliance, comprising a dozen parties, should "collectively" fight the next Lok Sabha elections.
"Our desire is to contest elections with Congress. We feel the UPA should collectively fight the elections as UPA. We will prefer to fight along with UPA partners throughout India like we do in Maharashtra and Goa," Agriculture Minister and NCP President Sharad Pawar said during an interaction with journalists.
Pawar's remarks assume significance against the backdrop of his meeting with Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackarey at the latter's residence sometime ago and his presence at the function where BJP leader L K Advani's book was released in the capital on Wednesday.
He categorically rejected the possibility of going with the BJP and suggested that nothing should be read in the saffron party giving outside support to the coalition government in Meghalaya in which NCP plays an important role.
Pawar was effusive in his praise for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying his working was "much more democratic".
"The coalition has so many parties and leaders. His total approach is to take all the people into confidence. He respects the views of all people. He never interferes in (the working of) any ministry or in any appointments," he said.
The NCP leader seemed to agree that the Congress was in the process of following coalition dharma but suggested it still cherished the days of its glorious past, a habit that was also ingrained in NCP.
And at the state level, parties like Congress and NCP and RJD and LJP have their turf wars and to a certain extent this affected the homogenity, he said.
Pawar said the Left parties were providing "valuable" support to the coalition and their help would be needed even after the elections because the days of single party rule are over.
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