As the Congress and the NCP are engaged in seat-sharing talks in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has expressed the hope that both parties would put up a united front to defeat "communal" forces.

"Negotiations on seat-sharing are on and we are yet to reach a conclusion. I hope that we forge an alliance and succeed in defeating communal parties," Chavan said after inaugurating Mumbai Moments 2009 Photo Journalism Awards function in south Mumbai on Wednesday.