NCP demands chief ministership term to be equally divided

Congress indicates it is ready to go solo if seat pact not reached

Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have so far failed to arrive at an agreement for seat-sharing arrangement for the election to the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly slated for October 15.

Congress has stuck to its proposal of 124 seats to NCP while the NCP is insisting that it should get 144 seats. Besides, NCP today demanded that the tenure of chief minister be divided equally between Congress and NCP for two and half years each.

However, Congress has not yet responded positively. Congress also indicated that it was prepared to go solo if agreement is not reached. If both the parties decided to again on late evening today. State industries minister Narayan Rane after the meeting said: "The agreement between the two parties is yet to reach. It was decided to meet again in the evening."

At the meeting held in the morning, the Congress was represented by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, state party chief Manikrao Thakre, Rane and party general secretary in charge of Maharashtra, Mohan Prakash. On the other hand, NCP team comprised former union minister Praful Patel, state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, state public works minister Chhagan Bhujbal and state unit chief Sunil Tatkare.

Subsequently, the NCP core committee headed by the party president Sharad Pawar held a meeting to discuss future course of action.

Both the parties are biding time till the fate of alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP is decided. A Congress leader, who did not want to be identified, said that the party is unwilling to succumb to NCP's pressure tactics but in the larger interest of secular alliance it may offer about six more seats, which will take NCP's tally to 130 seats.

However, NCP leader said party will keep on insisting on its claim over 144 seats. However, the party will consider if Congress tweaks its 174:114 formula by offering few more seats.