Tuesday, November 29 2005 20:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: In a setback to moves by some Congress leaders to forge alliance with All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) for the coming Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections, Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (Nov 29, 2005) asserted that such dialogues have no endorsement by the party high command.

"Congress is a national party. It does not need alliances to fight local level elections. If somebody is holding talks with some party at local level, I am not aware of them", Singh told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day conference of senior police officials, which he inaugurated here.

Even the KPCC President M Mallikarjun Kharge has not initiated talks with any political party to explore the possibility of striking alliance, Singh said and exuded optimism that the Congress would fare well in the upcoming Panchayat polls.

"The Congress lost the 2004 Assembly elections in the wake of differences among its leaders. Now the party is united and will face the polls unitedly", he asserted.

The talks held by Congress MP from Mandya, Ambareesh with AIPJD leaders including former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah will not embarass the coalition government or its partners Congress and JDS, he maintained, in reply a query. "There is no secret pact with anyone" was his reply when asked whether the Congress is trying for a secret understanding with AIPJD.

Ambareesh yesterday called on Siddaramaiah and AIPJD national president C M Ibrahim and held discussions on entering into a pact for the December Panchayat polls.