Sonia meets Pawar, seat-sharing to be decided later

Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar had a cup of tea together as a statement of intent to continuing to do business together but postponed till later, a discussion on nitty-gritty like the proportion of seat-sharing in Maharashtra and other states.

The late evening meeting caused disquiet in both parties, with Congress leaders from Maharashtra pleading with Gandhi to ensure not to give in to Pawar too much, notwithstanding the compulsions of Opposition unity.

A revolt broke out in the NCP with its West Bengal unit disagreeing with the central party's decision to plump for the Congress rather than the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Amiya Sarkar, state party chief, said in Kolkata the party already had an alliance with the Trinamool Congress and would go with PA Sangma rather than Pawar because it would be unable to join a Congress front after opposing the party for so long.

Charged repeatedly with not comprehending the coalition dharma and imposing its will on smaller partners, Gandhi today made it a point to call DMK leader M Karunanidhi to reassure him that he would be kept informed on the progress on Opposition unity, called on BSP leader Mayawati on her birthday, and ended her day with tea with Pawar.

However, cordial the meeting with Pawar, it did not alter some realities both the Congress and the NCP consider immutable. The Congress feels that Pawar's claims of 24 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra is ridiculous.

"Pawar may be important in Maharashtra, but this (claim of 24 seats) means he is as powerful as the Congress. This is something we are just not willing to accept," said a Congress leader from Maharashtra.

The party is willing to offer him 18 seats. "Pawar has no presence in Vidarbha. We can give him one seat in Vidarbha in return for two in western Maharashtra. That is negotiable. But whether on the basis of percentage of votes or seats, he cannot consider himself an equal partner," said a Congress leader. The Congress claims it got 34 per cent of the votes in the last election compared to 24 per cent by the NCP.

Pawar's compulsions are the inconsistencies in his party's position. The BJP would like to do a deal with him but not at the cost of the Shiv Sena. On that basis, the BJP is ready to offer him 8 seats. Pawar has to calculate whether going with the BJP now could help him in the future, in the event that the general elections yield a hung Lok Sabha.

The Congress knows that it has him between a rock and a hard place and is trying to drive as hard a bargain as it can. "He has to explain his involvement in the Telgi and co-operative banks scams. He is in no position to bargain. If it had been Indira Gandhi, she would have made him squirm. It is just that Sonia has to cobble a coalition and wants to be kind to him. But the Congress will just look for an excuse to break the pact. Make no mistake," said a leader from Maharashtra.