Seat-sharing issues between Cong, NCP resolved

Congress and NCP have resolved most of the issues on seat-sharing for the Maharashtra assembly polls but there was no clarity on whether there would be a joint campaign and manifesto.

"There is no clarity about a few things but there is no problem," Maharashtra Congress chief Manikrao Thakre said without elaborating.

Asked whether there would be a joint manifesto and campaign, he said it would be decided only after formal announcement of the alliance.

"Now there is not much gap between the two," senior party leader Vilasrao Deshmukh said on whether his party was able to resolve differences with NCP on seat-sharing.

The alliance is "by and large" formed, nothing will remain after today, said Deshmukh, who also had a four-hour meeting with NCP general secretary Praful Patel.

However, the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) met again this evening to finalise remaining seats on which differences were still said to be persisting between the two parties.

Thakre said the state Congress was submitting its final list to the CEC and the announcement will be made after the nod from the high command.

Thakre said the Congress and NCP would jointly announce the alliance.