Sanjay Nirupam cautions Congress against joining hands with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday said it would be a "mistake" on the part of his party if it joins the Shiv Sena-led government being planned in Maharashtra, as it would be akin to "burying" the Grand Old Party in the state.

The former MP also cautioned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi against coming under pressure in this regard.

To drive home his point, Nirupam said the Congress had committed a mistake of joining hands with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh years ago, but ended up losing ground in such a manner that it has still not recovered.

The Congress and NCP are at present working out modalities of forming a government with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra to keep the BJP, the single largest party with 105 MLAs, away from power in the state.

The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress won 56, 54 and 44 seats respectively in the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

"The Congress had committed a mistake by joining hands with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh years ago. It failed so badly then that it still has not recovered. We are committing the same mistake in Maharashtra," the former Mumbai Congress chief said in a tweet.

"For the Congress to become third number party in the Shiv Sena government is like burying it here. It will be better that the Congress president doesn't come under pressure," he said.