Mumbai: The NCP on Saturday indicated that it would stay with the Congress in the Mumbai municipal elections to help ‘secularism’ but warned that it must not be taken for granted.
''We have to stay in one house running one country. We have to take care of the nation together and so discuss our problems amongst ourselves,'' said NCP chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
"In the past we have always got less seats as compared to the Congress in seat sharing, but we have always managed a better percentage of winning. We were angry but we have not made a issue about it because our main aim is to keep out the communal forces," said Pawar at a rally organised by his party’s minority affairs unit.
Pawar’s speech is important, as Congress President Sonia too held a rally in Mumbai on Saturday.
"In the last assembly elections we were given only 120 seats and yet we won 71 out of them. Those who got the lion’s share of seats should place their arithmetic before the people and tell them what was their percentage of winning," Pawar was quoted by PTI as saying.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, both NCP leaders, also said they were willing to partner with the Congress.
''The NCP will not support any group that aims at dividing people or creating communal tension. In fact, we will raise our voice against such injustice,'' said Patil.
"Some Congress leaders are passing comments on our leader, but let me warn them that this will not be tolerated. We are not fighting this election at the mercy of somebody and nor do we need anyone. We can fight on our own," said Patel.
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