Uddhav met me to discuss 'alliance of like-minded parties': Pawar

Raising the political temperatures, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday revealed that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray recently met him and they discussed the need for an "alliance of like-minded parties" in the country.

"Uddhav, accompanied by (party leader) Sanjay Raut, met me at my Mumbai residence 10 days ago," Pawar told media persons on the sidelines of the ongoing two-day brainstorming session of NCP at a luxury resort in Karjat here.

"We also discussed the need for an alliance of all like-minded parties in the country," he said, indicating the parties opposing the BJP policies.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that the Sena is unhappy with its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party at the centre and in Maharashtra, but it has yet to take a stand on whether it will continue or walk out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The revelation comes a day after senior NCP leader Praful Patel said at the 'Chintan Shibir' that Pawar could be in the race for Prime Minister after the next Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

However, in his characteristic style, the elder statesman told the party leaders to "banish the idea of him becoming the PM" and instead work hard on building and expanding the NCP.

Incidentally, five days ago, Thackeray and his son Aditya had called on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who appreciated supported the Sena stance of criticizing the BJP as "doing the right thing."

Earlier on Tuesday, Yuva Sena leader Aditya Thackeray penned a severe critique of the BJP in a blog in which he termed the intent behind the demonetization exercise as "dubious", and one which had failed the hopes of the people and even the country.

--IANS

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