Maharashtra: Congress-NCP coordination panel meets after standoff

Mumbai: At the first meeting of their coordination committee after the recent standoff, ruling allies, the Congress and the NCP, in Maharashtra on Saturday night decided to hold regular monthly meetings of the panel to iron out differences.

"All is well," state NCP chief Madhukar Pichad said after the meeting.

The meeting was held in a positive atmosphere, he said adding it was decided to hold a meeting of the committee every month.

The Congress-NCP coordination committee decided to hold regular monthly meetings of the panel to iron out differences.

According to NCP sources, various contentious issues were discussed at the meeting.

A discussion on providing relief to drought and flood-affected in the state was held, they said.

The issue of carrying out surveys to assess the damage in drought-affected areas was also taken up at the meeting, MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre said.

From NCP, Union Minister Praful Patel, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Pichad were present while Congress was represented by AICC functionary Mohan Prakash, CM Prithviraj Chavan and MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre.

NCP has favoured expansion of the panel to include five members from each side sources said. State Congress leaders said any such decision would have to be approved by the central leadership.

"The discussion took place in a friendly manner," Thakre, who stepped out along with Pichad, said.

There are no differences (among us), Thakre claimed.

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