"Efforts On To Forge Anti-BJP Alliance In Maharashtra": Sharad Pawar

MUMBAI: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Monday said attempts are still on to forge a "grand alliance" against the BJP in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Talking to reporters, Mr Pawar said his party and the Congress are against the ideology of the RSS and they will continue their fight against the ideological fountainhead of the ruling BJP.

"We will continue to fight the RSS ideology. Our stand regarding RSS is very clear. We don't agree with the ideology.

"What more commitment can one ask for," the former Union minister said when asked about Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar's pre-condition on joining the proposed Congress-led grand alliance in the state.

Mr Ambedkar, who heads the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, had earlier this month said the Congress will have to come up with an "agenda" to "rein in the RSS" before seat-sharing talks could take place between the two parties.

Asked about the contours of an anti-BJP front, Mr Pawar said attempts are still on to forge a "grand alliance" against the outfit in the state, which has the second highest number of Lok Sabha seats (48) in the country.

"How to free the society from forces propagating RSS ideology should be everyone's responsibility," he said.

All like-minded parties should get together to fight the RSS ideology, the veteran parliamentarian said.