NCP to fight Gujarat Assembly polls in alliance with Congress

The Nationalist Congress Party on Saturday said it will contest the Assembly elections in Gujarat next month in alliance with the Congress to oust the 22-year-old BJP regime in the state.

NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar said the result of the Assembly polls will show people's feelings and perception about the central government's performance.

"The NCP has extended its full support to the Congress and will fight the Assembly polls (in Gujarat) in alliance with the Congress," Anwar said in a press conference here, his Lok Sabha constituency.

People of Gujarat are feeling disenchanted with the BJP government for the first time in 22 years and they want a change, he said.

Elections for Gujarat Assembly will be carried out in two phases on December 9 and 14.

Anwar alleged that the Centre influenced the Election Commission (EC) to declare the poll dates of Gujarat separately, and not along with that of Himachal Pradesh, so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could make some announcements there.

To a query on the reported phenomenal growth of a company of Jay Shah, son of BJP chief Amit Shah, the Katihar MP said the way the entire government and party machinery stood up in his support proved that they were trying to "protect" Amit Shah.

On Bihar, he said the EC recognised the group led by JD (U) president and state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but it would not help him (Kumar) much in the elections as he has betrayed the mandate of the people by aligning with the BJP.

The EC yesterday recognised the group led by Kumar as the Janata Dal (United), rejecting the claim of the Sharad Yadav faction over the party's name and election symbol.

Anwar also urged the Nitish Kumar government not to move the Supreme Court against the Patna High Court order in favour of contractual teachers working in government schools.

The high court on October 31 ruled that "Niyojit" teachers, who were hired on a consolidated pay, were entitled to salary on a par with regular teachers working in various government schools in Bihar.