Bengaluru: In a major blow to the opposition’s unity, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has announced that it will contest the upcoming Karnataka election next month.
The decision to contest 40-45 seats in regions where the BJP, Congress, and Janata Dal-United (JDU) are locked in a triangular contest is seen as a move to regain its national party status.
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The NCP’s decision comes just a day after its leader Sharad Pawar met with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to discuss opposition unity.
The meeting was seen as an important outreach at a time when Sharad Pawar’s recent comments indicated a divide within the opposition on the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the Adani-Hindenburg row.
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The NCP’s move to contest an election in which it is likely to eat into the Congress’s votes may not go down well with its ally.
The Congress, which fancies its chances in this election, is already fighting allegations of corruption and anti-incumbency against the ruling BJP.
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The NCP, which recently lost its national party status, is expected to partner with the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti in the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary region, which is home to a sizeable Marathi population.
The NCP’s presence is likely to impact its ally Congress, which is already facing a tough challenge from the BJP. The ruling party has been fighting allegations of corruption and anti-incumbency, and the NCP’s decision to contest the election is only expected to make matters worse for the Congress.
A “national party” tag allows an organisation to get a common poll symbol across the country, more star campaigners, free air time on national broadcasters for election campaigns, and by convention office space in Delhi. The NCP lost its national party status earlier this week and also its “state party” status in Goa, Manipur, and Meghalaya.
The Trinamool Congress and the CPI also lost their national party status. The Election Commission has said these parties can regain their status based on their performance in future elections, including the Lok Sabha election next year.