Mumbai: A day after Prakash Ambedkar of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) announced to fight the parliamentary and Assembly elections together, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday held a meeting with parties to stitch up an alliance.
Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Republican Party of India (Gawai), and MLC Kapil Patil of the Loktantrik Janata Dal were present at the meeting. It was also attended by Ashok Chavan of the Congress and Jayant Patil and Dhananjay Munde of the NCP.
“Last week, we had decided to form a grand alliance in Maharashtra to take on the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Today’s meeting was the beginning of that alliance,” Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said after the meeting.
Dr. Ashok Dhawale, central committee member of the CPI (M), told The Hindu that no decision has been taken.
“As per the CPI(M)’s resolution passed in the party congress, the agenda is to defeat communal forces in the country. However, any decision of forming an alliance in Maharashtra with the Congress and the NCP will be taken after a discussion in the State and the central committee,” he said.
Mr. Vikhe-Patil said both the parties will continue to talk with like-minded parties even on Monday. None of the Congress and NCP leaders chose to comment on the BBM-AIMIM pact. While the Shiv Sena has declared that it will be contesting solo, the BJP is hopeful that an alliance will be formed.
The Congress’s Maharashtra in-charge, Mallikarjun Kharge, was in Mumbai on Sunday to take stock of the party’s preparations. Several delegations held meetings with Mr. Kharge. According to sources within the Mumbai Congress, one delegation demanded the ouster of current city chief Sanjay Nirupam alleging that he is biased. “There could be differences between party members, but we will resolve it. There is nothing serious,” a senior party leader said.
