Kerala Polls 2021: Former Congress Veteran PC Chacko Joins NCP, Stresses Need For United Opposition

<p><strong>New Delhi: </strong>Senior Congress leader P.C. Chacko, who quit the grand old party earlier this month ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, on Tuesday joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).</p> <p>Speaking to the media, Chacko said that "Today, the need is the unity of the opposition. A united opposition should emerge as an alternative to the BJP. I don't see that initiative in the party which I was a member of earlier".</p> <p>NCP Chief Sharad Pawar informed that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called to tell him that the Left is happy with PC Chacko joining the NCP.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am formally joining the NCP today. NCP is part of the Left Democratic Front in Kerala. Once again, I am back in the LDF as a part of NCP,&rdquo; PC Chacko had told the media earlier.</p> <p>The move assumes significance as the NCP is a member of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) alliance in Kerala.</p> <p>This came as Chacko, who quit the Congress on March 10 over alleged undemocratic ways in the candidates&rsquo; selection for the assembly elections in his home state Kerala while citing factionalism within the party, was expected to meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar today.</p> <p><strong>READ</strong>:<span style="color: #e03e2d;"><strong> <a style="color: #e03e2d;" href="https://ift.tt/3thrvHs Dasgupta Resigns As Rajya Sabha MP Amid Row Over His Name As BJP Candidate In Bengal Polls</a></strong></span></p> <p>The former Congress veteran, who headed the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on 2G spectrum scam during the tenure of Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, earlier too extended his full support to the LDF in Kerala.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am meeting Sharad Pawar. Whatever crisis the party is facing, it needs to be discussed. I am also meeting Sitaram Yechury and Ghulam Nabi Azad to discuss the future course of action. I need to extend my support to the LDF,&rdquo; he said.</p> <p>Polling for the 140-member Kerala Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 6 while the results will be declared on May 2.</p> <p><strong>READ</strong>:&nbsp;<span style="color: #e03e2d;"><strong><a style="color: #e03e2d;" href="https://ift.tt/3vqQwlk" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Shiv Sena Wants Belgaum To Be Declared As UT, Says, 'Marathi People Under Threat'</a></strong></span></p> <p>Kerala currently has a Left coalition government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.</p> <p>The LDF emerged victorious in the 2016 assembly elections winning 91 seats while the United Democratic Front (UDF) managed to win just 47 seats.</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/india/kerala-polls-2021-former-congress-veteran-pc-chacko-joins-ncp-says-i-am-back-in-ldf-1448760