SP may get Bhiwandi

The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine has decided to offer one seat in the state to the Samajwadi Party (SP).

NCP president Sharad Pawar held a meeting with Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh in Delhi.

The Samajwadi Party may contest the Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency, which has a sizeable Muslim population.

Earlier, the Samajwadi Party had staked its claim for two seats in the state. The NCP, which has initiated the alliance with the party to retain the larger alliance of secular parties, will give the seat from its quota of 23 seats.

The Congress has also agreed to give up the seat, fearing that a three-way contest with a Samajwadi candidate will split the secular vote and affect the electoral outcome.