Raipur : Indicating that NCP's relations with Congress were not
satisfactory, NCP president Sharad Pawar said that the party was
tolerating the alliance in Maharashtra to keep away Shiv Sena from
power.

"The relations between NCP and Congress at the central level are not
that good but to keep Shiv Sena away from power, we are digesting
it," Sharad Pawar.

There was no point discussing with Congress central leadership the
attitude of congress government in Chhattisgarh towards the NCP state
unit, he said replying to a query.

He ruled out an alliance with Congress in the state, saying they
could go with Left parties to take on both the ruling Congress and
opposition BJP in the state and said that he had discussion with A B
Vardhan on the issue.

Pawar said that his party was not opposed to reservations on economic
ground to the forward caste but the issue is being raised by various
political parties, including some chief ministers, keeping in mind
the ensuing election.

"However, they knew it very well that as per the Supreme Court
direction reservation limit cannot exceed more than 50 per cent and
it needed a constitutional amendment," he added.