The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has tied up with the Republican Party of India (both Ramdas Athawale and Jogendar Kawade factions) and the Janta Dal (secular) to contest the forthcoming civic elections in 10 municipal corporations in Maharashtra scheduled on February 10.
The tie-up comes in the wake of the Congress Party, which is NCP's ally in the Democratic Front government that rules the state, refused to truck with it for the civic polls in order to counter the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
Announcing the NCP-RPI-JD candidates today, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Chaggan Bhujbal, said: "We had kept our doors open till 8 am this morning for the Congress to do a rethink on tying up with our alliance to contest the forthcoming civic elections. Unfortunately, the personal agenda of some people within the Congress did not allow the forging of an alliance.
