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.
NCP general secretary 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 Prime Minister 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.
The NCP clarified it was still part of the UPA, and would continue its coalition government with the Congress in Maharashtra.
The Congress sought to downplay the move, saying: “We are a big party and a big alliance, and we don’t think there is any change in the situation. But who knows what will happen in future.”
Said Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed: “We are in alliance with the NCP at the national level and in Maharashtra. But the NCP put up candidates against us in Bihar. It is normal.”