NCP (SP) won't settle for less in assembly seat-sharing: Sharad Pawar

The NCP (SP) agreed to contest fewer seats than its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies during the Lok Sabha elections but the situation would be different in the assembly polls, a party leader has quoted its supremo Sharad Pawar as saying.

Pawar held two meetings here on Friday, one with the party's functionaries from Pune city and district, and another with its MLAs and newly-elected MPs.

City NCP (SP) chief Prashant Jagtap, who attended the first meeting, said Pawar told the gathering that the party contested fewer seats in the Lok Sabha polls just to ensure that the alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress remained intact.

"He indicated that the picture in the assembly polls will be different," said Jagtap.

The NCP (SP) chief also reviewed the situation in assembly segments within the Pune, Baramati, Maval and Shirur Lok Sabha constituencies, he said.

A party leader who attended the second meeting said Pawar exhorted the MPs and MLAs to be prepared for the assembly ...