Alliance talks with smaller parties for 2019 polls in final stage: Congress leader Ashok Chavan

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan said here Friday that alliance talks with smaller parties would be concluded in the first week of January.

The Congress and NCP have already decided to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections together.

Chavan said the two parties held talks on Friday with other like-minded outfits such as the CPI, CPM, Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), Samajwadi Party and Prakash Ambedkar's Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh.

"The talks were positive. The issue of seat-sharing will be discussed in Delhi with (Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi and (general secretary) Mallikarjun Kharge," he said.

When asked if Prakash Ambedkar has agreed to let go the AIMIM to tie up with the Congress, Chavan said, "The issue will be resolved. Our stand on AIMIM is already clear."

While Ambedkar has announced a tie-up with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the Congress does not want to take the Asaduddin Owaisi-led party along.

Meanwhile, Kaka Kudalkar, a close aide of former Congress leader Narayan Rane, quit the BJP to join the Congress Friday.

Subhash Mayekar, former chairman of the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, also joined the Congress after quitting the Shiv Sena.

Mayekar was earlier with the NCP.

The two joined the Congress in Chavan's presence.