Congress-NCP deal for Ulhasnagar polls hinges on Kalani factor

Mumbai: After sealing an alliance in Thane Municipal Council (TMC) elections, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have now started discussions for Ulhasnagar Municipal Council elections. Election in-charge of Congress for the city, Subhash Kanade and NCP’s in-charge Pramod Hindurao, met in Ulhasnagar on Sunday and exchanged primary notes.

Sources close to the development said no decision has been taken over the alliance, and that everything depends on whether NCP’s Omi Kalani joins Bharatiya Janata Party. Omi Kalani is the son of Pappu Kalani. Pappu Kalani, known for having been booked under TADA charges in the early 90s, has been the most influential politician in the city for the last two decades.

In 2014, Pappu Kalani’s wife Jyoti had won from Ulhasnagar assembly constituency on an NCP ticket. Though the Kalani family is now with NCP, recent reports have suggested that Pappu Kalani’s son and political heir, Omi Kalani, is trying to switch to BJP.

In Sunday’s meeting both parties’ persons in-charge discussed the possibility of formulas that will satisfy workers from their respective parties. Sources also said that they have kept an option open to accommodate another party, Secular Alliances of India (SAI) in their alliance if it takes place.