NCP urges Congress to ally with AAP in Delhi

The NCP appealed to the Congress on Thursday to ally with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi to avoid division of votes that could help the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha election.

Its appeal came hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the party's alliances across the country were "on track" but its Delhi unit was unanimously against any tie-up with AAP, which has been insisting on a pre-poll tie-up with the Congress in the national capital.

Incidentally, AAP chief and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Gandhi had, for the first time, participated together in a meeting of opposition leaders at NCP president Sharad Pawar's residence in Delhi last month.

NCP chief spokesperson D P Tripathi expressed hope that a Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi will happen. "I appeal to the Congress to ally with the AAP in Delhi," he said in response to a question about formation of alliances between opposition parties in the country.

Asked about NCP's alliance with Congress in Maharashtra, he said the tie-up was finalised after a meeting between the presidents of the two parties last month.

"The alliance was finalised when our party president and Rahul Gandhi met (last month). The issue over a couple of seats is being addressed," Tripathi said.

He said opposition parties have been insisting that Pawar should contest the Lok Sabha election, due by May. The 78-year-old Maratha strongman is likely to enter the fray from Madha constituency, the one he had represented in 2009.

Asked about its alliance in Bihar, Tripathi said the NCP has conveyed to the Congress and the RJD about its claim over Katihar seat.

The seat was represented by Tariq Anwar, who quit NCP to join Congress following disagreements with Pawar.