Congress, NCP to contest on 125 seats each in Maharashtra assembly election

The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will contest on 125 seats in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly election, announced NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday. Addressing a press conference in Nashik, he also informed that 34 seats will be given to parties involved in other coalitions.

An exchange of 15 to 20 places is taking place between the Congress and NCP which will be decided soon, he added. There will be joint meetings at several important places. This time, new faces will be given a chance, added Pawar.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power at the Centre and so many of our party people are joining the BJP. The central probe agencies are being misused, he added. He said, "I have been in the Opposition for the last 24 years. But those who have left me were probably not ready to wait."

The term of the current Legislative Assembly will end on November 9.

The NCP chief courted controversy on Sunday when he praised Pakistan for its hospitality and said that people in Pakistan and happy but the BJP-led government at the Centre has been spreading lies about Pakistan only for political gains. "I have visited Pakistan and received their hospitality...It is a misplaced fact that people in Pakistan are unhappy. However, the present government has been spreading lies about Pakistan for their own political benefits," Pawar said. 

The NCP chief made the statement while addressing a special event for minorities at NCP  headquarters in Mumbai. During his address, the veteran politician also talked about issues like mob lynching and Article 370.