New Delhi, July 9: Fissures are developing in the ruling UPA with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party on Friday announcing a new “Secular Democratic Front” at the state level across the country.
The Nationalist Congress Party general secretary, Mr D.P. Tripathi’s announcement is not good news for the Congress, with the NCP reaching out to anti-Congress parties in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Orissa and Karnataka.
The NCP took this step at a time when the Congress has clearly said it is not interested in coalition politics.
It fought the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh on its own and will contest the coming Bihar Assembly elections without alliances.
“We would like to be with the Congress, but the Congress does not want us to be with them... If the Congress does not give us space, we will try to find our own space,” Mr Tripathi told reporters.
This comes soon after the NCP chief, Mr Pawar, asked the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to reduce his ministerial workload so that he could devote more time to party work.
Mr Pawar handles three portfolios —agriculture, consumer affairs and food and public distribution.