MUMBAI: A day after NCP president Sharad Pawar and state Congress president

's call to dislodge the "anti-farmer" NDA government, it appears that the Congress- NCP combine may join hands with Left parties in the state for the 2019

elections.

Pawar has taken the view that all-out efforts must be made to dislodge the Modi-led government, while Chavan on Tuesday said his party was open to accommodating Left parties CPM and PWP (Peasants and Workers Party). "We are determined to defeat BJP. We will draft a seat-sharing formula and accommodate PWP and CPM to achieve our goal. Once our negotiations with NCP are over, we will take a decision on seat adjustments with the Left," Chavan told TOI.

A Congress leader said if it is not possible to share seats with the CPM and PWP in the LS polls, they will be accommodated during the state assembly polls. "We are keen on better ties with PWP and CPM and to adjust them depending on their strength in certain constituencies. In the 2014 LS polls, we lost the Raigad seat owing to the presence of the PWP nominee. Now PWP is part of the Mahagathbandhan in Maharahstra," he said.

If PWP and CPM join the Mahagathbandhan, it will be the first time after over a decade that the CPM will contest the elections with Congress-NCP. In 2004, CPM had won three assembly seats - Solapur, Jawhar and Surgana in

. There was no alliance then but seat adjustments were made.

CPM leader Ashok Dhawale said the party's goal is to defeat BJP in the LS as well as assembly polls. "We are determined to dislodge the Modi-led NDA government. There will be no alliance with the Congress, but certainly there will be adjustment of seats. We expect the Congress-NCP will leave a few seats for CPM," Dhawale told TOI.

Stating that CPM is in discussion with Congress and NCP leaders, Dhawale said the party has staked its claim on two LS seats - Palghar and Dindori in Nashik district. "We feel we have considerable presence in these two constituencies," Dhawale said.

Dhawale was instrumental in organising the convention of farmers addressed by Sharad Pawar, Ashok Chavan and others in the city.