By IANS,
New Delhi : After its failure to cobble a poll alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, the Congress party Monday stuck a deal over sharing of seats with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra.
“We will fight unitedly as alliance partners in Maharashtra. Congress would contest on 26 seats while NCP would contest on 22 seats,” A.K. Antony, Congress general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra told reporters at a joint press conference attended by NCP leader Praful Patel.
“I am happy to announce the alliance. We would campaign together for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Patel said.
On the question of whether the alliance is only for Maharashtra or can go beyond the boundaries of the state, Antony said: “This alliance is only for Maharashtra.”
Both the political parties contested 2004 Lok Sabha together. Of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, Congress contested on 26 seats and had won 13 while NCP had contested 18 seats and won nine.
Polling in Maharashtra would be held in three phases – April 16, April 23 and April 30. Results would be declared May 16.