Alliance talks with smaller parties in final stage: Chavan

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan said here Friday that alliance talks with smaller parties would be concluded in the first week of January.

The Congress and NCP have already decided to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections together.

Chavan said the two parties held talks on Friday with other like-minded outfits such as the CPI, CPM, Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), Samajwadi Party and Prakash Ambedkar's Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh.

"The talks were positive. The issue of seat-sharing will be discussed in Delhi with (Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi and (general secretary) Mallikarjun Kharge," he said.

When asked if Prakash Ambedkar has agreed to let go the AIMIM to tie up with the Congress, Chavan said, "The issue will be resolved. Our stand on AIMIM is already clear."