Sonia, Pawar to share dais on Jan 31

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar will share a political platform on January 31 for the first time since Pawar split the Congress to form the NCP in 1999.

The two will address a rally of Banjara tribals at Digras in Yavatmal district, about 230 km from Nagpur.

Sonia will also inaugurate a sugar co-operative factory run by tribals, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Ranjeet Deshmukh said.

The rally will mark the golden jubilee celebrations of the All India Banjara Seva Sangh.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will be present at the rally.