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By Sahil Joshi: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday dismissed speculations that his nephew Ajit Pawar will break ranks with the party and join hands with the BJP. He said that Ajit Pawar is busy with election-related work.
“Some people are just making news. Other than that, these things have no meaning. I can say about NCP that all the leaders in this party are working with one idea and that is how to strengthen it,” Sharad Pawar told reporters.
ALSO READ | Will welcome Ajit Pawar if he’s willing to join us: Minister Uday Samant
He also trashed reports that there was a Legislature Party meeting of all NCP MLAs.
“I read reports that a meeting of the Legislature Party has been called today. I am saying 100% that no such meeting has been called. The party president (Jayant Patil) is busy with election-related work and so is Ajit Pawar,” he said.
SHIV SENA (UBT) DISMISSES REPORTS OF AJIT PAWAR JOINING BJP
Echoing Sharad Pawar’s sentiment, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also dismissed reports of Ajit Pawar aligning with the BJP. He said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP — are together and the alliance will not break even if some MLAs jump ship to the BJP.
“Our three partners in the MVA are together. The BJP has realised that it will be tough for them in 2024 so they are trying to destabilise the MVA. But 20-25 MLAs switching over does not mean that our alliance will be broken. I am sure that reports on Ajit Pawar are false. Yes, they (BJP) are trying to break NCP but it has not happened,” said Raut.
ALSO READ | BJP carrying out experiment with NCP leaders: Sanjay Raut amid Ajit Pawar’s exit rumours
AMID EXIT RUMOURS, 34 MLAS BACK AJIT PAWAR
Amid buzz about his growing proximity with the BJP, Ajit Pawar earlier dismissed reports that he had called a meeting of MLAs on Tuesday. However, sources said around 34 of the 53 Opposition MLAs have supported Ajit Pawar’s plan to be part of the BJP-Shiv Sena government.
The senior NCP leader’s sudden move to cancel a Pune event coinciding with two top BJP leaders from Maharashtra rushing to Delhi has fuelled such speculations.
Notably, amid a deadlock over government formation in Maharashtra after the Assembly elections in 2019, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in as the chief minister and deputy chief minister in a hush-hush early morning ceremony on November 23. However, their government lasted only 80 hours.
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