Sharad Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is in contention to spread its base in north India and aiming to make impact in forthcoming assembly poll in Himachal Pradesh.

NCP top leaders were in Shimla to take a stock of political viability in hill State and while talking to the mediaperson party general secretary Gobind Rao Adik said the party will contest the elections. He said the time was ripe for third parties as people were thoroughly disillusioned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and were also not keen to vote for the Congress.

He added that NCP is assessing the situation and party is in the process of identifying candidates. He added that NCP leaders will visit different parts of the state to identify its candidates. He said that unemployment will be core issue for the election. Radha Raman Shastri was also present with other senior leaders at its Shimla meeting.