Pawar won't merge NCP with Congress before elections: Munde

Claiming that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar won't merge his party with Congress at least before the Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Gopinath Munde today ruled out the BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI led 'Maha-yuti' (mega-alliance) having any "understanding" with NCP.
"NCP is not even a state-level party but a divisional level outfit having presence only in western Maharashtra," Munde said, speaking to reporters ahead of a rally by top opposition leaders here this evening.
"We (opposition) are not willing to take Pawar into our fold. So that leaves Pawar no other option but to go with Congress," Munde said.
"The opposition alliance is united and our only objective is to dislodge the Congress-NCP government," Munde said.

After RPI leader Ramdas Athawale takes oath as Rajya Sabha member, his party will join NDA and he would be invited for all meetings of the BJP-led front at Centre, Munde said.
Similarly, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, led by Lok Sabha member Raju Shetty, will also be a part of NDA soon, the senior BJP leader said

To a query on police booking Athawale over Indu mill violence, Munde said, "This is an attempt to silence the voice of opposition. We won't be cowed down by such tactics."
On reports of differences among the alliance partners over Madha Lok Sabha seat (where Pawar won in 2009), Munde said the issue would be sorted out amicably.

"The Mahayuti's seat distribution will be finalised by this month-end," he said.
Rashtriya Samaj Party leader Mahadeo Jankar, a part of the Mahayuti, said he wanted to contest from Madha, but "some people in the alliance have hatched a conspiracy against me". "However, I joined the alliance because of my faith in Munde and will abide by whatever he says," Jankar added.