JOIN USA day after three key UPA allies, NCP, DMK and TMC chose to flex muscles in different ways, the Congress on Wednesday denied rift in the coalition and asserted that when it comes to functioning of government the alliance continues to be firm and intact.
“There is nothing like cracks, our allies are with us,” said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi.
He was responding to questions related to NCP chief Sharad Pawar endorsing the demand of Baba Ramdev to bring black money stashed abroad.
Also, the Congress leader was asked if his party was worried with developments such as DMK chief Karunanidhi backing the demand of veteran BJP leader L K Advani demanding to set up collegium for the appointment of Election Commissioners and TMC assertion that it has strength to rule the state alone after winning West Bengal civic polls
Sources in the Congress said that “the party was not undeterred by such tactics by its allies in the government and stressed that the party is on its way to garner support of the Samajwadi Party for presidential and vice –presidential elections”.
According to the sources, the party has decided not to field candidate against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhliesh Yadav’s wife in Kannauj parliamentary by-elections keeping in mind the Presidential election, scheduled for July when incumbent Pratibha Patil demits office.
Officially, the party has preferred to be evasive on the reasons for not fielding a candidate against Dimple Yadav.
"We had not contested the seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and we are not contesting it now," party general secretary Digvijay Singh said, adding that besides Kannauj, the party had not put up candidate then from Mainpuri from where Mulayam Singh had contested.
However, the decision of the Congress this time is in sharp contrast to the 2009 by-election to the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat for which the party had fielded Bollywood star and former Samajwadi Party leader Raj Babbar against Dimple Yadav.