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Monday, May 12, 2008
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New approach, strategy needed: Pawar

Special Correspondent

“Government should not allow acquisition of cultivable land for SEZs”

Warns the Congress of the strengthening of communal forces
NAFED to prevent potato farmers from making distress sales

NEW DELHI: Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Sunday asked his party workers to prepare for the Lok Sabha elections next year as a new approach and strategy would be needed in view of the delimited constituencies.

Emphasising that his party backed the Women’s Reservation Bill for setting aside one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, he claimed the party had in fact stressed for its inclusion in the National Common Minimum Programme.

At the National Committee Meeting here, he also instructed State unit presidents to give priority to dalits, minorities and OBCs in allocating seats.

“They must participate in decision-making,” he said, adding that party’s base should be expanded with focus on youth.

In a significant departure from the past, the party appealed to the government not to clear any more Special Economic Zones and not allow the acquisition of “cultivable land” for the same. It also stressed on bridging the gap between the rich and the poor.

Mr. Pawar said the NCP would support any secular formation. Some parties did not want to accept the reality of coalition politics , he said. He cited the example of the Congress not going along with the NCP in Meghalaya, despite being a coalition partner in Maharashtra and Goa.

A draft political resolution adopted at the meeting warned the Congress of the strengthening of communal forces if it failed to have a more broadminded approach. The NCP had adjusted with the Congress in Gujarat and had decided not to contest in Karnataka to keep the communal forces away.

The resolution said that even though the party supported the India-U.S. nuclear deal, any decision should be taken by consensus among coalition partners. “So far as the UPA cannot arrive at a consensus with the Left , it is obligatory on the part of the UPA not to sign the agreement.”

While expressing concern at the rising inflation, Mr. Pawar said the government was considering giving some incentive to farmers who had paid their dues to banks on time under the Farm Loan Waiver Scheme.

The National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation of India will intervene in the market to prevent potato farmers in Uttar Pradesh from making distress sales.

The Committee also adopted an economic resolution that called upon Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and the Reserve Bank of India to take “more stringent measures” to contain inflation.

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