Tariq Anwar echoes Praful Patel`s view on alliance

Patna: Senior NCP leader Tariq Anwar on Saturday trashed reports of party chief Sharad Pawar meeting with Narendra Modi, but said party`s "options are open" for alliance.

"The report (about Pawar and Modi meeting) is absolutely wrong," the NCP general secretary said adding that the question of joining hands with BJP did not arise. "NCP cannot join hands with BJP which is a communal as well a fascist party...We have ideological difference with BJP," Anwar, who is also union minister of state for Agriculture, said. Lending credence to comments of another senior NCP leader Praful Patel, Anwar, however, said "options are open" for NCP, an ally of Congress, for reaching other alliance. "We may join hands with secular forces on our own in other states," he said. On formation of an alliance in Bihar comprising RJD, Congress, LJP and NCP, Anwar said "a decision has been almost reached. There is some hitch on seat sharing in some constituency which we are hammering out." Stating that NCP is seeking two seats of Katihar and Ujiyarpur in this coalition, he said "while there is unanimity among all the parties giving Katihar to NCP, but on Ujiyarpur RJD is making a strong claim," Anwar, who is all set to contest from Katihar, said. NCP is pitching for Ujiyarpur for its Bihar unit President and former Union minister Nagmani`s wife.