Congress, NCP strike deal for civic polls

The Congress and the NCP have worked out a seat-sharing formula for the crucial 227-seat Mumbai civic body elections. The Congress has agreed to leave 58 seats for NCP, which, in turn, dropped its claim on 65 seats. After a meeting, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan announced the Congress would field its candidates on 169 seats. The deal comes against the backdrop of the Shiv Sena, BJP and Republican Party of India forming an alliance. Chavan and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said the Congress-NCP combine would dislodge the 17-year rule of the Sena-BJP alliance in the polls, slated for February 16.