Cong-NCP seat-sharing stalemate continues, next meet on Mar 2

The stalemate over a seat-sharing formula between Maharashtra's ruling alliance partners Congress and NCP persisted on Friday with both the parties sticking to their stands but decided to meet again on March 2.

NCP is firm on its demand for 24 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats while the Congress wants to stick to the 2004 formula. Congress had contested on 27 seats and NCP on 21 in the last Lok Sabha polls.

The coalition leaders met here tonight in the backdrop of stalemate over the seat-sharing formula and reports about growing proximity between NCP and Shiv Sena.

Addressing reporters after an hour-long meeting, state Congress president Manikrao Thakre said the two sides focussed on constituency-wise discussions and the contentious issue of the formula did not come up during the deliberations.

Talks revolved around constituencies in north Maharashtra. "We could finalise some constituencies but the talks remained inconclusive because of the paucity of time," Thakre said adding the next meeting will be held on March 2.

Asked about the critical editorial against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in NCP's mouthpiece 'Rashtrawadi', Thakre said the issue did not figure in today's meeting and added the party wished to close the chapter, as the Sharad Pawar-led outfit has disowned the editorial.

Apart from Thakre, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, state campaign committee chairman Gurudass Kamat, MPCC president Kripashankar Singh represented Congress while NCP was represented by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar, Energy Minister Sunil Tatkare, state NCP president RR Patil, Mumbai NCP president Sachin Ahir and senior leader Padamsinh Patil.