MUMBAI: Even as the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has ruled out the possibility of an alliance with the Congress, AICC observer and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday asked Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam to make a fresh attempt for the alliance to halt a split in secular votes. "I had a prolonged meeting with Mumbai Congress leaders and heard their views on an alliance with the NCP. A section of the party leaders were in favour of the tie-up," Hooda told TOI. "Kamat had stated that following his remarks against Nirupam's style of functioning, the AICC had deputed Hooda to take stock of the situation. Significantly, the AICC had asked Hooda to visit Mumbai on January 20.

Source: Times of India January 25, 2017 18:40 UTC