Congress, NCP create panel to iron out pre-poll creases

MUMBAI: To minimise the risk of rebellion and sabotage within the alliance in all the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra , the Congress and NCP have set up a ten-member committee to resolve differences as and when they crop up.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar told reporters here on Monday that Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, state Congress president Manikrao Thackeray, senior Congress leader Harshvardhan Patil and two party ministers will represent the Congress.

From the NCP, besides Pawar himself, state NCP chief Bhaskar Jadhav, working president Jitendra Awhad, and two NCP ministers will be part of the panel. “The committee has been tasked with the job of resolving difficulties and differences between the two allies in each of the 48 constituencies. A helpline number with office-bearers will be set up and if anyone wishes to speak to the CM or me, they will be connected,” he said.

“The CM and Thakre have sent letters to each district unit of Congress, where NCP is contesting to co-operate with the official candidate. Similarly, myself and Bhaskar Jadhav have written to our state units to campaign for the Congress nominees,” Pawar said.