Congress can't question our secular credentials: NCP

The NCP today accused the Congress of joining hands with Sena-BJP in the upcoming Zilla Parishad polls saying that the latter had no right to question its secular credentials.
Addressing a press conference, Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare charged that the Congress had tied up with Shiv Sena in Osmanabad and Raigad Zilla Parishads while in Sangli it had joined hands with the BJP.
"Shiv Sena minister in the (Narendra) Modi government Anant Geete himself announced his party's alliance with Congress in Raigad. I had spoken to state Congress chief Ashok Chavan for an alliance with NCP and PWP in Raigad, but things did not materialise," Tatkare said.

"Congress leaders have always been trying to create confusion in the minds of people about our secular credentials. Now, with the party hand in glove with Sena and BJP for the Zilla Parishad polls, it has no right to talk about our "tactic" understanding with BJP, which it keeps claiming," Tatkare said.
He said NCP has always maintained an independent opposition stand and taken on the government on various issues concerning the people including farmers.
He said in many districts going to polls, NCP has an alliance with like minded parties including Congress and in places where the alliance did not materialise, Congress and NCP are in a "friendly fight".

NCP is going solo in corporations in Mumbai, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Ulhasnagar while there will be friendly fights with Congress in some seats in Pune, Thane and Nashik.

"We have not aligned with Sena and BJP anywhere unlike the Congress," he said.
"Still Congress keeps targetting us by questioning our motives. But the party should know what is happening in their own backyard," Tatkare said.
Criticising the Sena-BJP tug of war in the campaign, Tatkare said, "We have to wait and watch till how long the Sena ministers keep their resignation letters in their pockets. The ink on the paper may get dried up. After the results, we will see which party surrenders to whom and whose self-respect remains intact.