By IANS,
Raipur : The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Thursday said it would work with the Congress either through seat sharing or strategic alliance to vote out Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in next month’s assembly polls.
“NCP is in talk with the Congress for seat-sharing. If it works then fine, otherwise we will surely have a strategic alliance for the larger goal of keeping BJP out of power,” Novel Verma, state president and party’s lone legislator, told IANS.
The NCP was largely held responsible for the ouster of the Congress government in the last assembly polls in November 2003. The party had contested 89 seats of the total 90 on its own.
Even though it managed to bag just one seat, it surprisingly got over seven percent votes and spoiled the Congress’ chances in as many as 18 seats.
Verma said: “The talks with the Congress for Chhattisgarh alliance is expected to be (held) within a day or two.”
“There are still some hiccups for the alliance but it does not matter much, the basic goal of the party is to work with Congress and not allow the BJP to retain power.”
The state goes to polls in two phases – for 39 assembly seats Nov 14 and rest 51 on Nov 20.