NCP chief Sharad Pawar told party legislators on Monday that a Congress leader had approached his party suggesting that they jointly support a Shiv Sena-led government to keep the BJP out of power. “A Congress leader had contacted us on the day of the results,” Mr Pawar said.
Others deny claim
Congress leaders have dismissed these claims by Mr. Pawar.
“There was absolutely no proposal of this kind from the Congress party. We have not discussed allying with the Shiv Sena or the BJP. We are ideologically opposed to non-secular parties,” said former state Congress chief Manikarao Thakre.
Mr Pawar told NCP MLAs on Monday that “A Congress leader had contacted us on the day of the results, suggesting that the Congress and NCP support a Shiv Sena-led government. But we felt the numbers would not be enough to provide for a stable government,” He said that the figure of such a combination would be just 146, just slightly over the half-way mark in a 288-member house.
In a dig at the Congress, Mr Pawar also said, “Governments to which the Congress has provided outside support do not last.”
Congress leaders feel Mr Pawar is dragging the Congress into the controversy to divert criticism over the NCP’s decision to provide outside support to the BJP. “He is just trying to create confusion and show the Congress in a poor light,” said a senior Congress leader.
