AAP efffect: NCP to field new faces in Maharashtra

Sharad Pawar-led party increases use of social media in run up to Lok Sabha elections

Deliberations at the meet here of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, seemed to reflect the impact of the Aam Aadmi Party win in Delhi.

NCP chief and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar exhorted party members on Sunday to learn and effectively use social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, to reach out to larger numbers of voters, especially the youth. The party also decided to field a number of fresh faces in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Pawar told party members not to be depressed  by co-partner Congress’s rout in the Assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. He was speaking at a two-day meet to discuss poll strategy for 22 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. He reiterated he would not contest the Lok Sabha elections but would enter the Rajya Sabha.

Pawar recalled the emergence of the Asom Gana Parishad in 1985. The party has formed the government twice but even after 28 years, its presence is not so visible. “Similarly, after the Emergency, the Congress was routed and new faces were elected in the Lok Sabha. The Opposition and critics argued that for the next two decades, Congress will not assume power but they were proved wrong,” he said.

NCP won only eight LS seats in the 2009 polls and is keen to improve its tally. It hopes to soon finalise seat sharing with the Congress, expected to again contest in 26 seats here.