A day after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Leader of Opposition from Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar put a full stop to the speculations about his shift from NCP to the BJP, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Gulabrao Patil stated on Wednesday that Pawar has made up his mind to leave the NCP. He also said that something big is slated to happen in the coming 2-3 days in Maharashtra Politics.
“The political environment being created in Maharashtra is an indication that he (Ajit Pawar) has decided that he wants to leave the party. One need not ask a Jyotish (astrologer) for the same. If the news is being shown on news channels, it proves something is brewing, something is wrong. Many people are saying, in the next two-three days, it’s sure to happen,” stated the Water Supply and Sanitation Minister of Maharashtra.
Gulabrao Patil also indicated that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s statement was difficult to believe as he said ‘whatever happens is contrary to what Sharad Pawar says’. “Sharad Pawar is a big leader but whatever happens is contrary to what he says. I feel if he is saying that it will not happen, then I feel it will happen. The MLAs are currently meeting with Ajit Dada, if everything is alright then why are they meeting,” he was quoted as saying.
Affirming that a political storm might erupt in Maharashtra in the coming 2-3 days, Patil said, “I haven’t spoken with anybody but this is not a matter which can be completed in one day, it has taken a series of meetings and may get over today or tomorrow.”
Earlier several media reports were published which claimed that Ajit Pawar was allegedly preparing to join the BJP with the support of more than 40 MLAs, who have also signed a petition in favour of his decision. Pawar subsequently refuted the accusations in a press conference on Tuesday. He affirmed that he is not leaving the NCP and that no signatures of any MLAs had been obtained to support the speculated shift.
“I am with NCP, not going anywhere. Nobody took the signatures of any MLAs. These are all baseless speculations. I don’t know why people are speculating about my shift from the party. All these are sheer rumours. Under the leadership of Sharad Pawar, NCP was established and we will continue to work under his leadership. This is an attempt to mislead the people and divert the issue from the core,” he said yesterday.
Notably, Ajit Pawar’s statement came hours after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar dismissed speculations about Ajit Pawar’s political move. He said that no meeting of the party MLAs had been called in the matter. Earlier, when asked whether NCP would form an alliance with BJP, the NCP supremo had said that it was difficult to predict the future. “Nothing can be said about what will happen in the future,” he was quoted.
