A key leader of Bangladesh's National Citizen Party (NCP), Mahfuz Alam, has distanced himself from the party's alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, citing ideological differences and concerns over Jamaat's controversial history.
Putting pressure on ally Congress over the deadlock regarding seat sharing for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, NCP said a meeting of its core committee in Mumbai on Monday will take a final call on the matter even as it asserted that it is sticking to its "original demand".
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will declare its party line at its national executive, to be held on August 1 in Patna, days after announcing that the party would forge an alliance of secular parties on the grounds that its major ally, Congress, was not giving it adequate political space.
'Perhaps, he must have thought that it was time to pass on the baton to the younger generation.'
'If they don't make Ajit Pawar chief minister, what can he do?'
Sources in the Congress and NCP said the draft CMP and allocation of portfolios between the three parties will be discussed in the meeting.
The NCP is in talks with its ally Congress for a possible alliance with the Shiv Sena, after the Sena's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party fell apart over the chief minister's post.
'NCP wants the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress to come together and provide a stable government.'
Malik told reporters in Mumbai that there is a need to reach a consensus on 'certain big issues' while working out a common minimum programme.
'They want to keep the BJP out, but how to make it happen is the issue that the Congress high command will resolve.'
The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party leaders met on Tuesday morning to decide on seat sharing for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections but the talks were "inconclusive." With only four days left, to file nominations for the October 15 polls, time's running out for the 15-year-old alliance.
"We will keep an eye on the situation in Maharashtra. Congress and NCP leaders will hold further talks on the future course of action," he added.
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