NCP will maintain its separate entity, says NCP leader

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal says his party, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, will continue to have its separate existence though the issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins, on which it was born, is of no consequence now.

"NCP should retain its identity. Why are there so many newspapers and television news channels? The good ones will sustain. Even though ideology is the same, there can be two different parties," Bhujbal told PTI.

The NCP leader said there was no difference between the ideology of Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) or AIADMK and DMK.

"If the ideology is the same, it is not required that there should be only one political party. There are so many parties which were originally Republican Party of India (RPI).

At least, we are in a stronger position and have a good mass base," Bhujbal said.

Speaking about NCP's poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls, Bhujbal said the party has given a thought to its performance and taken proper steps to fix loopholes.

"Such things happen due to the way candidates are selected. We are all now ready to face the elections again," he said.

On whether Congress and NCP are open for a post-poll alliance, Bhujbal said, "provided we get an opportunity. If Shiv Sena-BJP together get majority, where is the question of a post-poll alliance," he said.

When reminded that Congress and NCP had contested the 1999 Assembly elections separately and come together to form the government, Bhujbal asked, "Do you think history repeats itself?"

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The Third Front factor

The Republican Left Democratic Front, a coalition of 16 groups comprising Republican and Left parties, would affect ruling Congress-NCP's prospects in the October 13 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has said.

"The Front will affect Congress-NCP prospects," the senior NCP leader told PTI, when asked if the front would play spoilsport for the ruling alliance as Raj Thackeray-led MNS did for the Shiv Sena-BJP combine during the Lok Sabha polls.

The Front has announced it would contest all 288 Assembly seats, adding there won't be a tie-up with either Congress or NCP.

Republican Party, a prominent constituent of the Front, has been the traditional ally of Congress-NCP and the alliance has benefited from the significant Dalit voters base in the state. RPI president Ramdas Athawale lost the Shirdi Lok Sabha seat and blamed his poll debacle on the `conspiracy by Congress leaders.'

Refuting allegations that MNS has been 'sponsored' by Congress-NCP to bring down the vote margin of Sena-BJP saffron alliance, Bhujbal said, "It is not true. MNS is sponsored by the party chief Raj Thackeray."