Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat has said that if Ajit Pawar joins the BJP with a group of NCP leaders, then the Eknath Shinde-led Sena will not be part of the Maharashtra government. The statement has come amid speculations that Ajit Pawar could join BJP. However, he refuted the claims on Tuesday. As per a PTI report, talking to media persons in Mumbai on Tuesday, Shirsat said he thinks the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will not go with the BJP directly.
"Our policy is clear about it. The NCP is a party that betrays. We will not be with the NCP even in power. If the BJP takes NCP with them, Maharashtra will not like it. We decided to move out (of the earlier undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray) because people didn’t like us going with the Congress and NCP," he said, as quoted by the PTI.
Shirsat further said that since Ajit Pawar has not said anything, it means he doesn't want to be in the NCP.
"We left the Congress-NCP (which were part of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government) because we didn’t want to be with them. Ajit Pawar doesn't have a free hand there. Therefore, if he leaves the NCP, we will welcome him. If he comes along with a group of NCP (leaders), we will not be in the government," the Shiv Sena leader said.
He claimed that Ajit Pawar was unhappy because his son Parth Pawar lost the election earlier. He added that Pawar’s displeasure has no connection with the case of a plea seeking disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs pending before the Supreme Court. According to PTI, Parth Pawar was defeated in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll from Maval constituency in Maharashtra.
Notably, Shirsat was recently appointed spokesperson of the Shiv Sena-led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, reported PTI.
"Ajit Pawar not being reachable is not a new thing. But his displeasure, which is being shown by the media, and our case (pending before the Supreme Court) has no relation. Ajit Pawar is disgruntled since his son Parth Pawar had lost the election," Shirsat said.
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday dismissed all the rumours floating around about him leaving the party and joining BJP. "I am with the NCP and will remain with the party," Ajit Pawar said. Maharashtra Assembly LoP denied allegations made against him in recent news reports that he had taken the signatures of some MLAs.
In a press briefing, Pawar said that the news being circulated was "not even an iota of truth" and that "such news creates confusion in the mind of the worker".
Pawar further clarified that some MLAs had come to meet him for their constituency or their work and it does not mean that they have come for any other reason. He emphasized that they were all together in the NCP and under the leadership of Sharad Pawar.
Speculations about Ajit Pawar's next political move started swirling last week when he suddenly cancelled his scheduled meetings and also made comments which were seen as being soft on the BJP and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's camp.