The party's constitution will be finalised and a working committee selected to thrash out the party's election strategy. The convention will also see the formality of electing the party's national president. De-centralisation in decision-making, intellectual inputs in problem-solving, special commissions for women, youth, minorities and others, equidistance from both the Congress and the BJP will be the cornerstones of the new party as outlined by the two leaders. ``It will be a truly democratic and secular party for the 21st century,'' they said.

Almost as a prelude, Praful Patel, Member of Parliament andPawar confidant who kept his distance in these two weeks, announced his resignation from the Congress and his intention to be in his mentor's new party. ``The developments of the past few weeks pained me too. Many of us in Vidarbha were shocked at the way an important leader like Pawar was treated. I was committed to join him but I took time to assess the mood and views of my people,'' he said.

Patel, known as the ``beedi king'' in political circles, has now been appointed the NCP's chief spokesperson. A large majority of his support base in the Vidarbha region, particularly in Bhandara district, has pledged support to Pawar. ``Pawar raised some very valid issues but got this treatment in a party that is supposed to have inner party democracy. In the end, inner party sycophancy won over inner party democracy,'' Patel remarked.

His entry into the NCP is timely in view of the national convention for which hectic preparations are under way. Pawar expects nearly 1,000 delegates for the executive fromall over the country. The draft constitution provides for major departures in two ways from that of the Congress. One, de-centralisation will be the main theme of decision-making; debate will be encouraged right from the tehsil to the Capital level, Pawar said.

Two, the specially set-up Policy Research Council will be the party's think-tank which will seek intellectual inputs on various issues. This Council will then feed the subject-specific commissions on youth, women, Scheduled Castes-Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward castes, disabled and senior citizens which will outline the party's approach to different problems in the country, Sangma explained.

Pawar is expecting a few more leaders with clout to join the NCP tomorrow and a regular stream of new entrants from across the country after the convention. ``Many Congress leaders are in touch but the timing has to be right,'' he said. Some key leaders of the Shiv Sena have also been in touch, he said, laughing away the suggestion that there would belittle difference between the NCP and Sena if NCP continued to raise the issue of Maharashtrian pride and identity. Asked if the Sena was the main rival, he said, ``No one will take the Sena seriously.''

However, Pawar said that it would be difficult to predict the post-election national scenario now. The NCP itself will discuss possible alliances with other parties after the convention but it is likely that a non-Congress, non-BJP formation could take centre-stage, he said.

What they said