With a view to minimise the risk of rebellion and sabotage within the alliance in all the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, the ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)have set up a ten-member committee to resolve differences as and when they crop up.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar told reporters in Mumbai on Monday that Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, State Congress president Manikrao Thackeray, senior Congress leader Harshvardhan Patil and two party ministers will represent the Congress.
From the NCP, besides Mr. Pawar himself, State NCP chief Bhaskar Jadhav, working president Jitendra Awhad, and two NCP ministers will be a part of the panel.
“The committee has been tasked with the job of resolving difficulties and differences between the two allies in each of the 48 constituencies. A helpline number with office-bearers will be set up soon and if anyone wishes to speak to the Chief Minister or me, they will be connected,” he said.
“Chief Minister and Thakre have sent letters to each of the district units of Congress, where NCP is contesting to co-operate with the official candidate of the alliance.
Similarly, myself and Bhaskar Jadhav have written to our State units to campaign wholeheartedly for the Congress nominees,” Mr. Pawar said.
He expressed confidence that the NCP will do well and better its previous tally. “This time, we have declared our candidates much earlier and have given them enough time to prepare the groundwork for elections,” Mr. Pawar said.
However, he said the public meetings have been delayed because of the destruction due to hailstorm.
