NCP angry with Congress over Gujarat polls, may rethink on ties for 2014

Kochi: Miffed at the way it was treated by the Congress in the just concluded Gujarat assembly elections, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has hinted that it would have to rethink on its alliance with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls.

In the Gujarat polls, which saw the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retaining power, NCP President and Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar said though his party was allotted nine seats, the Congress fielded its candidates in five of them and in the remaining, its rebels contested.

"This is not the way to work together. This is the reason why the BJP came to power in Gujarat. One has to work together and there should be honesty and commitment. If such a policy continues, we would give a serious thought about the alliance in the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls," he said.

In the Gujarat elections, the NCP was allotted 9 seats, but the Congress fielded its candidates in five of them.

Addressing party workers in Kochi on Sunday, Pawar said the NCP would support any new legislation which recommended harsher punishment for those convicted for atrocities against women.

The Union government was taking steps to ensure that farm lands were not being diverted for non-agricultural purposes, he said, adding, a bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act would be tabled in the next session of Parliament.

The amendment seeks to provide 400 per cent of the market price to farmers for acquiring their lands for industrial projects, job to one member of the family or salary for 20 years once the land is acquired. The Kerala government should enter the market and procure coconuts so that the farmers would get a better price, he said.

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