NCP alliance talks collapse: Ajit Pawar faction demands symbol control for Pune civic polls

Mumbai: In an anti-climax of sorts, talks between the NCP (Ajit Pawar) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) for an alliance to contest the Pune Municipal Corporation elections have collapsed - primarily over Ajit Pawar's insistence that candidates from the Sharad Pawar-led faction fight on his party's symbol. The discussions had triggered speculation of a political realignment in Maharashtra and a possible soft entry of the NCP (SP) into the BJP-led NDA.

The negotiations broke down on Friday after the Sharad Pawar camp refused to accept two key demands relating to the Pune civic polls. Ajit Pawar had sought that NCP (SP) candidates contest on the NCP's 'clock' symbol.

The clock symbol belonged to the undivided NCP and was awarded to Ajit Pawar's faction by the Election Commission when it recognised his group as the original party. The Sharad Pawar faction subsequently adopted the 'trumpet and drum' (curved trumpet) symbol.


Sources said the NCP (SP) leadership refused to concede the demand as it would send a "wrong signal" that the faction had accepted Ajit Pawar's leadership. Significantly, the NCP (SP) Pune unit - whose outreach to Ajit Pawar had sparked talk of a shift - has now denied holding alliance talks. "We never met him for a seat-sharing arrangement. Yesterday's meeting was only a courtesy call. We told him we could not accept his proposal for an alliance and would go with our old allies, meaning the Congress," said NCP (SP) Pune leader Ankush Kakade.