Union Agriculture Minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar will kick-start his party's preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections by holding three-day marathon district-wise meetings with party functionaries this weekend, a senior party leader said.
NCP leader Govindrao Adik said that Pawar will take stock of the prevailing political situation, party's strengths and weaknesses and local issues in meetings with leaders, office-bearers and workers from each district. The meetings will be held from July 17 to 19 at the party office in South Mumbai.
On Friday, Pawar will meet representatives from Nandurbar, Dhule and Jalgaon. He will hold talks with leaders and office-bearers from Nashik, Ahmednagar and districts from Marathwada, Sangli and Kolhapur on Saturday while on Sunday he will meet Amravati, Nagpur region leaders and office-bearers.
Adik added Pawar will assess the ground realities and give necessary directions to the state unit with regards to the preparations for the crucial Assembly elections due late this year.
When asked about the pre-poll alliance with Congress, Adik said his party has already conveyed to the Congress leadership that it was keen for a pre-poll tie up.
"We are awaiting a green signal from the Congress leadership to begin seat-sharing talks."
Congress has already embarked on a 'Sampark Abhiyan' in all the 288 Assembly seats and also deputed separate committees of office-bearers headed by a senior cabinet minister in each of the region to meet aspirants and local leaders.