Cong reaches out to NCP, Chavan faces revolt

New Delhi/Mumbai: There is rebellion against Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan as 43 of the 82 Congress MLAs wrote a letter of discontent against his style of functioning even as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) kept the Centre guessing on its next move.

The letter signed by the MLAs points that there is anger among the constituents of the government over the lack of progress on several projects. It lists lack of progress on 14 projects and policy initiatives, ranging from irrigation to health and education sectors.

Congress MLAs who are close to former chief ministers Ashok Chavan and Vilasrao Deshmukh have reportedly signed the letter.

The MLAs are also believed to have warned that if the situation continues to remain same, the Congress-NCP coalition will fare badly in the next elections.

Meanwhile, the NCP on Tuesday said that it would take its final decision on its ties with the Congress by Thursday morning.

"If we don't attend Cabinet meet on Thursday, then there is no turning back," said party sources.

The Maharashtra unit of the NCP has conveyed to its central leadership that if the Centre walks out, the state coalition would be put in jeopardy.

The NCP-Congress stand-off has Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan at its centre.

Chavan has refused to back down on the probe against the Deputy Chief Minister and the Congress too has refused to give in to Pawar's demands of reining in the CM.

Following the developments, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the rift between the party and the NCP.

Later, the Congress indicated forward movement in removing irritants in ties with the NCP which has threatened to pull out from the government soon if the issues raised by it were not resolved.

"We have always considered the NCP to be an important component of the UPA. They are also our allies in Maharashtra. In coalition politics, certain differences of opinion arise, but they are solved through dialogue and mutual understanding," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters.

Another senior leader, who declined to be identified, said that there was forward movement in talks with the NCP.

The leader downplayed the development in Mumbai as well where Chavan, who has been facing flak from the NCP, has come under friendly fire from the Congress MLAs.

Chavan will be in New Delhi on Wednesday apparently for talks with central leaders. He has, however, maintained that he is coming to the capital to just attend the swearing in of Pranab Mukherjee as the President.

Meanwhile, DMK leader T R Baalu had a meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar but sources suggested that it was not political in nature.

(With Additional Inputs from PTI)