Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan today said talks with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP for a pre-poll alliance have reached the advanced stage.
Chavan also said the Congress was keen to forge a grand alliance comprising like-minded parties that enjoy pockets of support in various parts of the state.
Monsoon session of the state legislature is currently underway in Nagpur, the second capital of Maharashtra.
"Congress president Rahul Gandhi met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at least three to four times. I have held discussions with (senior NCP leader) Praful Patel and state unit chief Jayant Patil. We expect the talks to be completed in a reasonable time frame," Chavan said.
The Congress and NCP, both partners in the UPA government for 15 years, had fallen out ahead of 2014 polls which they contested separately.
He said the Congress wanted to bring smaller parties under the umbrella of the proposed grand alliance.
"There are about ten parties, including Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, BSP, Samajwadi Party, CPM, PWP, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghthana and others who have presence in different parts of the state. We intend to being them together for a grand alliance. Much depends on the response of these parties," he said.
Parties like the Shiv Sena, MNS, AIMIM will have no space in the grand alliance, the former chief minister said.
Responding to a question on the Congress rejecting re-nomination of deputy chairman of state legislative council Manikrao Thakre for upcoming MLC polls, Chavan said the party wanted him to contest direct elections.
"Whether he wishes to contest assembly or LokSabha, it will be his choice," he said.
When asked if he could be replaced as the president of the state Congress ahead of polls, Chavan said," It is the prerogative of the party president. In politics, nothing is permanent...not even chief minister".
Chavan said Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary incharge of Maharashtra, is coming to Mumbai on July 8 and 9.
He said Kharge will meet leaders of state party unit and the Mumbai Congress.
Responding to a query on former BJP MP Nana Patole's announcement that he wished to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Nagpur against sitting BJP MP Nitin Gadkari, Chavan said he had not spoken to Patole.
"If he wishes so he could be one of the aspiring candidates," he added.
Patole had returned to the Congress fold after resigning as the Bhandara-Gondiya MP.
When asked about the state government's decision to ban plastic, Chavan said its implementation wasn't good.
"No thought was given to rehabilitation of people employed in the plastic industry and to make available the alternatives," he said.
Chavan dubbed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' performance as "below average".
"Fadnavis has betrayed the trust of people. He was good as an Opposition leader," he said.
Chavan said, "It doesn't behove the CM to ask resignation of the leader of opposition. It is the job of the Opposition leaders to question the government".
Referring to the alleged Navi Mumbai land scam, Chavan said the government should answer how 24 acres of land was transferred within hours to a builder.
He alleged that the government has failed to take action in the aftermath of the incidents like lynching of five people in Dhule and beating of two Dalit boys inJalgaon district last month.
"...Instead a show cause notice is sent to Rahul Gandhi. Is it a political vendetta or an attempt to distract attention of people from the main issue?" he questionned.
Chavan was referring to the notice sent by the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights to Gandhi last month for disclosing the identity of the Dalit boys who were stripped, beaten and paraded nude in a village at Jalgaon by uploading a video on Twitter.
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