'Sawal Hi Nahi...': NCP-SP Chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena-UBT On Taking Back Rebels Ahead Of Maharashtra Polls

Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena) and Sharad Pawar (NCP) have stated that they will not readmit leaders who defected from their parties despite the MVA's strong performance in the Lok Sabha.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar outlined on Saturday that they have no intention of re-accepting leaders who left their parties. The Shiv Sena underwent a split in June 2022, due to Eknath Shinde, who went on to become Maharashtra Chief Minister. Similarly, the Nationalist Congress Party broke into two factions after Ajit Pawar joined the state government along with eight MLAs in July the previous year.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP (SP), and the Congress, performed impressively in the state's Lok Sabha elections, sparking speculation that some leaders from the rival factions want to return.

However, in the MVA's first press conference following the Lok Sabha results on June 4, both Thackeray and Sharad Pawar categorically underlined that there is no question of taking back rebel leaders.

During the press conference, both Thackeray and Sharad Pawar dismissed the speculations about taking rebel leaders back. NCP chief Sharad Pawar was asked if the leaders from the Ajit Pawar faction would be taken back if they wanted to return home. Sharad Pawar responded by saying, " Sawaal hi nahi paida hota (there is no question)".

Reacting to the same, Sanjay Shirsat, an MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, remarked that Thackeray should first take care of his flock.    

"Who is going, in the first place? It is not that anybody from our side went to `Matoshree' (Thackeray's residence) and was thrown out. We have no interest in going back there. They should take care of their people," he said, as quoted by PTI.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024

In the recent Lok Sabha elections 2024, Parner MLA Nilesh Lanke switched from Ajit Pawar's faction to Sharad Pawar's NCP and won from the Ahmednagar constituency, defeating the incumbent BJP MP Sujay Vikhe Patil. Similarly, Bajrang Sonawane left Ajit Pawar's NCP to run in Beed on an NCP (SP) ticket, where he defeated senior BJP leader Pankaja Munde.

On the other hand, the representation of the BJP in the state decreased from 23 in the 2019 general elections to nine this time, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP had to contend with seven and one wins, respectively. In Maharashtra, out of 48 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress secured 13 seats, followed by nine for the Shiv Sena (UBT) and eight for the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

There is a report of unrest within the NCP and Shiv Sena, which are allies of the ruling BJP, following the formation of the Narendra Modi government on June 9. 

The Ajit Pawar faction was offered one minister of state position with independent charge, which they declined. Additionally, only Buldhana MP Prataprao Jadhav of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena was included in the Union government as a minister of state with independent charge, despite the party having seven MPs.