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NCP, BJP, Shiv Sena support Alexander for RS

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 15. Soon after the former Governor of Maharashtra, P.C. Alexander, filed his nomination for the byelections to the Rajya Sabha seat in the State today, the Nationalist Congress Party and the BJP-Shiv Sena combine came out in support for his candidature even as the Congress sought to underplay this closing of ranks between its ally in the Democratic Front Government in the State and the principal Opposition alliance there.

The BJP, too, appeared reluctant to make too much of this development despite the fact that efforts have been going on for a while now in Maharashtra to destabilise the Congress-led Democratic Front Government. The NCP, in the BJP's opinion, had to support Mr. Alexander as a face-saving gesture to ensure that it does not lose the seat and addresses the problem of infighting.

Stating that the party would support Mr. Alexander in a bid to make amends for the way his name was considered and then dropped for the office of President, a senior BJP leader in the Government said there was no move to accommodate him in the Council of Ministers or the Planning Commission.

For its part, the Congress refused to be drawn into speculating on the impact of this development on the already fragile coalition Government in Maharashtra. According to the spokesman, Anand Sharma, the Congress had anyway no claim to the seat as it had fallen vacant following the death of the sitting member of the NCP, Mukesh Patel.

"As per the understanding at the Maharashtra level, this seat has been left to the NCP,'' Mr. Sharma said, refusing to comment on the repeated queries on whether the Congress — given its opposition to Mr. Alexander's candidature for President — would issue a whip to its party MLAs in the State to vote against the former Governor. On whether the Congress would support the former Rajya Sabha MP, Suresh Keswani's candidature for the seat, he denied having any information suggesting such a move.

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