New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today (Jan 24, 2004) split on the issue of aligning with Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections with a convention of rebels "replacing" Sharad Pawar with P A Sangma as its president.

A resolution adopted at the "convention" of rebel NCP workers from all over the country authorised Sangma to decide on the electoral strategy "in a manner consistent with the stand he has already taken", a euphemism for aligning with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Earlier, Sangma and veteran leader from Chattisgarh V C Shukla came out of the meeting convened by Pawar at the NCP office in new Delhi and announced their decision to align with NDA.