UF policies worrying Congress, says Pawar

Sharad Pawar, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha , says his party is worried by the United Front government’s political approach.

Pawar told reporters in Bombay on Saturday that the Congress preferred to support the UF government to check the Bharatiya Janata Party but the UF had often helped the BJP against the Congress.

For example, he said, the Janata Dal candidate in the Nagaur Lok Sabha by-election in Rajasthan created trouble for the Congress nominee. The Congress will be cautious while taking action, he said, as any decision could have far-reaching consequences.

Pawar described the alliance between the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh as opportunistic and hinted it would not last long.

Asked about the possibility of a Congress alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra, he said no talks had been held on these lines.

To another question, Pawar claimed he was not in the race for the post of prime minister or party president. He said he felt the party president should be elected unanimously. The party, he said was concentrating on strengthening its units all over the country and would come up with a strategy on the matter in the next month or two.