NCP decides to join government

MANDATE 2004

The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) yesterday announced that it would participate in the Congress-led government.

Announcing the decision, party Spokesperson Praful Patel said the party had left it to Pawar to decide on its nominees for the council of ministers.

After a meeting between senior Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee and Ahmed Patel and Pawar, Patel said, "We have already extended unconditional support (to a Congress-led government) and now after taking into consideration all aspects, we have decided to participate in the government."

"We have left the matter with regard to what ministry to be allotted to Prime Minister-designate Manmohan Singh," he added.

Over the past few days, there had been speculation that the NCP might merge with the Congress. These were further fuelled by the fact that while Congress leader Kamal Nath was saying that the defence portfolio was likely to remain with the Congress, some other Congress leaders were saying that Pawar was being offered the portfolio.

As this news started to gain credence, Pawar himself moved to scotch the "rumours". The episode, however, reflected the mood in the NCP, which is worried about its future as the Maratha strongman has been ill for some time.

According to sources in the NCP, party leaders like Datta Meghe and Praful Patel are quite keen on a merger with the Congress, as they do not see the NCP striking out on its own for long.

"This is why there were all these rumours about a merger with the Congress," said a long time associate of the NCP.

Pawar, on the other hand, is more keen to land a plum post, like the the deputy Prime Minister's post for himself in the new government, and feels he has a better chance as a taciturn ally than a party member.

Pawar has apparently told his party members to shelve plans for a merger.

On Friday, he was busy all day with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, who has been doing his own share of bargaining with the Congress on portfolio allocation.

The NCP and RJD together have 30 seats in the Lok Sabha and the duo have discovered the power of collective bargaining.

Laloo is basically gunning for a Rs 179,00,000 crore "Bihar package" and good ministries for his part MPs "" Raghuvansh Prasad and Kanti Singh.

Laloo has also indicated that his party would likely join the Congress-led government.

"There has been some progress," he told the media after his day-long negotiations with senior Congress leaders and his meeting with Pawar.

Earlier in the day, Laloo had said "every ally in the coalition should get a fair share in the ministry".

"I have given my suggestions to the Congress in writing and it is for them to decide now," he told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Pawar.

Laloo, who has declared with Pawar to move jointly on the issue of participation in the government, had hinted at some developments later in the evening, when he said: "There is still a night and you have 24-hour news channels."

Yadav also denied reports that he had sought the deputy prime ministership or wanted the key home portfolio for the RJD.

"There should be no confusion about it. My aim was to remove the BJP from power and I have done that," he said.