NCP to contest assembly polls in Goa, UP, Manipur, says Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congres Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced that his party will contest the forthcoming assembly elections in Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur.

"We will contest upcoming assembly elections in three states out of a total of five states. These three states are Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur," Pawar said at a press conference here.

The NCP chief said that the party is going to contest elections with Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties in Uttar Pradesh. "The people of Uttar Pradesh are looking for a change. We will surely see the change in the state," he said.

Slamming Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his "80 per cent versus 20 per cent" remarks, Pawar said the chief minister should take along all sections of society.

"Yesterday UP CM said that 80 per cent people belong to him while remaining 20 per cent do not. The Chief Minister should not make this kind of remarks because every citizen of the state belongs to CM," he said.

"Communal polarisation is being done in Uttar Pradesh ahead of assembly elections. The people of UP will give a befitting reply to this. The CM should take along every section of the society," he added.

Pawar also referred to Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya quitting the BJP days before the assembly polls.

"A total of 13 MLAs are going to join Samajwadi Party (SP)," he said.

Pawar said his party is in talks with Congress and Trinamool Congress for an alliance for Goa Assembly elections. "Our party leader Praful Patel is in talks with these parties. I believe all the parties should come together to defeat BJP," he said.

Elections for 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly will be held in seven phases. The polling will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases.

The polling in Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Goa will be held on February 14 and in Manipur in two phases on February 27 and March 6. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.