Cong-NCP patch up, decide to work together during session

After holding separate press conferences on the eve of Maharashtra legislature's monsoon session, the opposition of Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today said they would take on the government together.
On Sunday, the NCP and Congress held separate press conferences, in a departure from the tradition of holding a joint press conference of opposition ahead of the session.
NCP was riled as the Congress leaders sent a letter to the chairman of Legislative Council, asking him to give precedence to a proposed resolution discussing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's contribution to the country over another resolution congratulating the NCP chief Sharad Pawar on completing 50 years of parliamentary career.

The NCP alleged that the Congress did not bother to consult it before sending the letter.
However, today the two parties held a meeting where it was decided that the two resolutions would be discussed on separate days to avoid a clash.
The resolution congratulating Pawar and Peasants and Workers Party veteran Ganpatrao Deshmukh would be discussed on August 5, while the one on Indira Gandhi will be tabled on August 9, said former chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan today.
The two parties also decided to corner the BJP-led government over the ambiguities in the farm loan waiver scheme announced last month.

"We want the government to announce exact number of (would-be) beneficiaries of loan waiver. It should also declare the number of farmers who were given Rs 10,000 for kharif season. The opposition has a right to know how many district central banks extended loans to farmers," said NCP leader Ajit Pawar.