Congress in 'introspection' mode, NCP cadres happy over ally's rout

Congress’ rout elates ally NCP

* Cadres feel that seat-sharing formula for Lok Sabha elections should change, leaders say ‘haste is waste’

By Kartik Lokhande 

The rout of Congress in Legislative Assembly elections in four states elated the cadres and leaders in its ally Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra. While the cadres felt that seat-sharing formula for ensuing Lok Sabha elections should change from existing 22:26 for NCP:Congress to 24:24, the leaders of NCP chose to keep mum ‘for a while’.

The four states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan have 72 seats of Lok Sabha. However, as the results of Legislative Assembly elections declared on Sunday made it clear, Congress failed to retain power in Delhi and Rajasthan and it could not snatch power from BJP in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Following these results, the Opposition’s main constituent in Maharashtra -- BJP -- was all smiles while Congress was in ‘analysis’ mode. Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan even dubbed the results as ‘serious’ and stressed need for ‘introspection’ and ‘course correction’ for the party.


Published in The Hitavada CityLine on Dec 9, 2013

Adding another angle to the post-results political scene, cadres in NCP started talking about change ‘required’ in seat-sharing formula with Congress in ensuing Lok Sabha elections. In fact, some of the legislators of NCP who arrived in the city on Sunday for winter session of Maharashtra Legislature commencing from Monday, were happy over its ‘dominant’ ally’s rout in Assembly polls in four states. However, the leaders were cautious in reacting to the ‘event’.

A senior leader of the party who wished to be unnamed, said that it would not be appropriate for NCP to ‘prick’ Congress immediately after its ‘hurting rout’ in four states. “These are the matters to be talked out within the party first, and then with the ally. We are not in haste like Congress, of which leaders wanted seat-sharing formula for Lok Sabha to be changed from 22:26 for NCP:Congress to 16:32 immediately after results of Nandurbar Zilla Parishad election. Congress may not realise, but we realise that haste does not take one anywhere,” he remarked.

NCP Spokesperson Nawab Malik told ‘The Hitavada’ that NCP always accorded more importance to ‘human factor’ than concentration on merely ‘economy’ aspects. “While the price rise, subsidy, LPG availability etc are issues haunting the common people, more emphasis on economy and related aspects will not provide succour to populace. We are always in favour of rethink over these matters,” he said without being explicit in comment. Asked if NCP was thinking about change in seat-sharing formula for ensuing Lok Sabha elections, he said that Congress was old ally of NCP and the formula was fixed. “It was decided in 2009, and it will not change,” he added. 

Congress to introspect, need course correction: Maha CM

Staff Reporter
Dubbing the rout of Congress party in the election results in four states as ‘serious’, Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said that the party would introspect over the poll outcome.
“The results are serious for Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in Centre and Democratic Front government in Maharashtra. The party’s leadership will sit together in Delhi and introspect over the outcome,” Chavan said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of winter session of State Legislature commencing in the city from Monday. Chavan, however, refused to comment when asked if there was a wave in favour of BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Commenting further on the results of Assembly polls in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, Chavan said that Congress will have to do ‘course correction’ ahead of Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections scheduled in 2014. Asked about implications of the poll results announced on Sunday, on Maharashtra, Chief Minister declined to comment saying that situation in every State was different. “Wherever there was Congress-led alliance government, we went to the electorate on development plank,” he added. 

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