Cracks in Cong-NCP camp despite patch-up

A discordant note has again been struck in the Congress-NCP alliance in Pune district, exposing the superficial nature of the patch-up between city Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi and Minister Ajit Pawar of NCP.

Mr. Kalmadi and Mr. Pawar, long time political rivals in the district, having 21 assembly seats, had publicly buried the hatchet through a dinner diplomacy over the week-end.

They had given a message to party workers that “all was well” and they should leave no stone unturned to support and canvass for the respective candidates finalised in seat-sharing.

However, NCP Pune unit president Jaidev Gaikwad and Anil Bhosale, the party leader in the civic body, have publicly accused Congress of not participating in canvassing in the constituencies allotted to NCP candidates.

Both Gaikwad and Bhosale, in a statement alleged that while NCP workers were sincerely taking part in campaigning for Congress candidates in the district, there has been no reciprocal gesture on part of Congress.

The NCP leaders issued a veiled warning to Congress saying if this non-cooperation continued in the district, NCP would have to seriously reconsider its support to Congress candidates.