'There Will Be Earthquake In NCP (SP), Jayant Patil To Join NCP': Shiv Sena Leader Sanjay Shirsat

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat claims senior NCP leader Jayant Patil may leave Sharad Pawar's party for Ajit Pawar's NCP, based on Patil's recent comments.

File photo of Sanjay Shirsat

Source : Instagram - sanjayshirsatmla

Mumbai, Mar 14 (PTI) Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat has claimed that senior NCP (SP) politician Jayant Patil would leave Sharad Pawar’s party and cross over to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

“I have said this in the past. Jayant Patil is in no mood to stay in NCP (SP) for long. There will be an earthquake in Sharad Pawar’s party. You will see Jayant Patil joining Ajit Pawar's NCP (Nationalist Congress Party),” Shirsat said on Thursday.

Shirsat's party, NCP and BJP are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state.

His remarks came after Patil, the state president of NCP (SP), said nothing about him was certain. His comments also sparked the buzz that he could quit the NCP (SP).

Vijay Wadettiwar, the Congress legislature party leader, said Patil heads the state unit of NCP (SP) and it was evident that he has been upset these days.

“We can only guess what he wants to say. I am not sure of the inference behind his remark. He is a senior politician, an eight-term MLA and has held responsible positions,” Wadettiwar said.

The Congress, NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) are the partners of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

NCP minister Hasan Mushrif said it is now clear that Patil is upset. He is aware that it is difficult to do politics and keep NCP (SP) intact for the next five years, Mushrif said.

NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule called Shirsat's claim a flattering compliment as “they (the rivals) need Jayant Patil despite their big organisational strength”.

The Sharad Pawar-founded NCP split in 2023 after Ajit Pawar walked out of the party with his supporters and aligned with the Mahayuti. He subsequently got the party’s name and symbol, while the senior Pawar’s outfit came to be known as NCP (SP).

In last year’s Maharashtra assembly polls, the NCP won 41 seats compared to just 10 by NCP (SP). The poor performance of the NCP (SP) has triggered speculation that some of its leaders would be joining the NCP.

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)