Alliances a reality: Congress clarifies

NEW DELHI - With both Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s comments on coalitions, the Congress Thursday clarified that alliances were a reality and the party did not think they were unworkable.

In an ideal world, no one wants coalition… It involves a certain degree of give and take. It does not mean coalitions are not to exist, are unworkable or should not be there, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said here.

Chavan was reported to have said at a function in Mumbai Wednesday that coalition politics was sometimes a hurdle in decision making. He said that coalitions can be a hindrance and one has to find a way out to make things happen. He had added that had a prime minister like Manmohan Singh got a majority which the party had during premiership of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, higher growth rates would have been achieved.

Singhvi said coalitions have to be formed where there is a need as there cannot be a vacuum in governance.

He said every political party wants to form government on its own steam but coalitions were a reality.

There is no value judgement (in Chavan’s remarks) on coalition. He was only recognising a political reality, only stating a political fact, Singhvi said.

Gandhi was reported to have said in Lucknow Tuesday that coalition constraints were behind the high food inflation.

The Congress is running a coalition government in Maharashtra with NCP.