By: PTI
July 10, 2003

A day after Congress came out emphatically favouring alliances,
Sharad Pawar-led NCP, in a significant shift of stance, today said
it was willing to "re-consider" the foreign origin issue of AICC
President Sonia Gandhi to achieve the objective of defeating
the "communal forces".
"We have not abandoned our position on the foreign origin
issue...but are willing to re-consider it since we feel that the top-
most priority should be given to defeating fascist and communal
forces", NCP spokesman Vasant Chavan, whose party shares power with
the Congress in Maharashtra, told a news conference here.

The NCP outlined its stance after Congress at its Shimla brain-
storming session shed its Panchmarhi reticence and expressed
willingness to enter into "appropriate electoral and coalition
arrangements" with secular parties to defeat the BJP in the coming
Lok Sabha elections.


Welcoming the Congress' readiness of cobbling an alliance of secular-
minded parties, Chavan said, however, it was not practical for
Congress leaders to set a pre-condition that all parties should
accept Sonia as the leader.

The decision about leadership could be taken up after the secular
parties come to power, he said. "Instead of harping on the
leadership issue, Congress should begin the process of dialogue with
other parties", Chavan added.

"As far as NCP is concerned, our differences with Congress are not
over but we are willing to discuss them", he added.

Najmudin Bookwala