After getting a taste of victory in the Bihar elections, the Congress party in Maharashtra has decided to join hands with secular parties, including the NCP to consolidate its vote bank and put up a united front against the BJP-Sena government.

The Congress party won 27 seats against its contest of 41 in the 243 seats of the Bihar assembly. In 2005 and 2010 Bihar elections, the Congress had won only five seats each time.

"This massive victory, along with the JD (U) and RJD will infuse new life into the party leadership and cadre, which had got completely decimated in the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections. We have to start afresh with like-minded people because the one-party government era is over at least for the Congress. I am sure our leader will also learn lessons and start aligning with new and old partners in the upcoming elections. In Maharashtra, we broke away from the NCP due to some ego tussle. Now, we have to patch up if we want to grow. Otherwise we will not have a future in the coalition era," said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity.

Former Congress MP and spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit also said that the Congress should read the Bihar verdict in the right manner and start allying with secular parties. Dikshit said that the Congress should allow intelligent alliances in various states on a reliable platform of secular, anti-communal and left-of-centre forces.

Sources in the Congress told dna that they had recently met the NCP state president and a senior NCP leader when they decided to join hands and put up a united front.

"As part of this strategy, we have made an alliance with the Congress in Kolhapur and decided to share power together. We never wanted to fight elections on our own, but because of some arrogant Congress leaders the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections were fought independently," he said.

The NCP leader also said that the Congress should learn its lesson and treat its allies better instead of bullying. "No one is going to tolerate this Big Boss attitude in coalition-era politics. The shrinking space by the Congress has been occupied by regional forces. If the Congress does not take the right measure it would be a marginalised force in Indian politics," he added, requesting anonymity.

A political observer said that if the Congress and NCP want to grow their cadres, then they would have to bury the hatchet and start a new beginning. "The Bihar election is the best example of how a united Opposition trounced the BJP even though they have Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a face. In the Lok Sabha election, the picture was a complete opposite because they – the Congress, JD (U) and RJD fought the election separately," said the observer.