Cong, NCP skirt issue of poll alliance

MUMBAI: The high-level coordination committee of the Congress and the NCP decided to play down contentious issues in view of the upcoming municipal and zilla parishad elections in Maharashtra.
The meeting was attended by CM Prithviraj Chavan, deputy CM Ajit Pawar, MPCC president Manikrao Thakre, NCP state president Madhukar Pichad and senior ministers from both parties.The relations between the allies have been strained due to many issues that cropped up during the recent budget session of the state legislature where the congress mlas felt that the ncp had become too dominant partner.
According to informed sources, the parties meeting also took stock of the situation and implementation of the election manifesto in the state and what needed to be done to fulfil the promises made earlier. The committee decided to find out how much of the assurances have been implemented so far and what should be done in near future to complete remaining assurances in view of coming elections.
A senior Congress minister pointed out that the taluka and zilla level government committees have not been set up so far. Thakre and Pichad will coordinate with the ministers in charge and set up committees soon. The government-run corporations would be set up soon as the Congress is in the process of finalizing the names to be inducted in these committees.
The coordination committee did not touch the issue whether the Congress and the NCP will contest the coming elections together or fight it out. The leaders accepted the view that it should be left to the party organizations at district level to decide on the issue.
Soon after the coordination committee meeting, NCP president and union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar held another meeting with his ministers at irrigation minister Sunil Tatkare's residence of ncp ministers. He directed the ministers to ensure proper coordination with the party's district units. He will address party leaders in Mumbai on Thursday to coordinate efforts of the party for the coming elections to the brihanmumbai municipal corporation schedule din year 2012
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