Are Congress and NCP coming together for 2019 Lok Sabha polls? This is what Praful Patel has to say

With just a year left for the General Elections, major political parties are busy in devising strategies. Fresh from its bypoll success in Gondia, NCP feels there might be a shot at state-level alliance with the Congress in Maharashtra. Senior party leader and former Union Minister Praful Patel spoke exclusively to Kartikeya Sharma on range of issues and the people’s disenchantment with the ruling BJP

Here are edited excerpt of the interview: 

Q: Can a combined Opposition take on BJP in Lok Sabha elections?
A: It has become very visible from the bypoll results that wherever regional parties have sunk differences, BJP has been defeated. There is a visible disenchantment with BJP. It made huge promises during the Lok Sabha elections but none of them have been kept. On top of it, political adjustments are taking place to ensure that 2014 is not repeated again at the national level.

Q: Has Congress become a big regional party and what role do you expect it to play?
A: Congress understands the new political reality. They have to respect the changed political circumstances. They too have made adjustments. For example, they gave away the position of Chief Minister to JD(U), which would not have been possible in past. Even in Uttar Pradesh, Congress vote has become negligible. So it is better to adjust then perish. Having said that I would also say Congress still remains the largest pan-Indian party in the Opposition. Congress will have to play a role here and accordingly build consensus in non-BJP bloc.

Q: What is Sharad Pawar’s idea of 2019 elections?
A: His understanding is that 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be about political alliances based on least division of votes. For this end, pan-India alliances will have to be forged.

Q: Is ‘one candidate, one constituency’ a good idea?
A: It depends on region to region but as far as possible, one candidate, one constituency is a good idea. All of this will depend on local and regional arrangements. But an arrangement like this in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra can affect BJP adversely.

Q: How significant is NCP’s victory in Gondia?
A: It is a significant victory for us. This seat belonged to us. Even in 2014, we fought elections together in the Lok Sabha. Disenchantment against BJP is deep. They put all their money and muscle inn Gondia but we ran a soft low key campaign, which worked for us.

Q: Has the relationship between Congress and NCP improved?
A: Good beginning has been made which got reflected in the by-election. There is more engagement now between both the parties.

Q: Will Congress and NCP fight elections together in Maharashtra?
A: As I said, good beginning has been made. We had an alliance in past and it can be recreated.