Sharad Pawar denies speculation over Ajit's possible shift to BJP

Mumbai: NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar on Tuesday dismissed the speculation about the latter’s possible defection from the NCP. While Sharad Pawar called the speculation “baseless”, Ajit, who is Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, asked if an affidavit was needed to prove his loyalty to the NCP. He even rebuked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who has been talking about pressure on the Pawar family to join the BJP, asking him to speak only for his own party.

There has been persistent speculation that Ajit Pawar and a group of his loyal MLAs might quit the NCP and join the BJP. Some reports also claimed the Opposition leader has already acquired the signatures of 40 NCP MLAs expressing their support for him.

Reacting to the reports, Sharad Pawar said: “Whatever discussions are going on in the minds of the media are not there in our minds. The reports are meaningless and cooked up by some journalists for creating a sensation. I can say about the NCP that all our colleagues are of one thinking of how to make the party stronger, and there is no other thought in anybody’s mind.”

Ajit Pawar said that “baseless speculation” was being spread about him and his colleagues in the NCP. Visibly upset over some news reports, he said: “Me and my colleagues are being defamed for no reason. This speculation has continued despite my clarifications. I am with the NCP and I am not going anywhere my entire life.”

Dismissing the reports of him acquiring the signatures of MLAs, Ajit Pawar said: “I have not taken any MLA’s signature. There is no need to do so. These rumours must stop.”

Clarifying reports about several NCP legislators meeting him in Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday, Ajit Pawar said this has been a usual practice. “Whenever I am in my Vidhan Bhavan office, legislators come to meet me,” he said.

However, the NCP leader was also upset with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who has quoted Sharad Pawar saying that there was pressure on the Pawar family members to join the BJP. “Spokespersons of other parties are talking like NCP spokespersons. We are competent to speak for ourselves. They should talk about their party and their mouthpiece. They should not be making comments quoting us and not try to become our advocates,” Ajit Pawar said.

Mr Raut also on Tuesday called reports of Ajit’s defection baseless rumours and said: “I spoke with him (Ajit Pawar) and other (NCP) leaders this morning. If those spreading such canards think that they can weaken the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) by resorting to such ploys, then they are mistaken.”

Meanwhile, two NCP MLAs -- Anna Bansode and Manikrao Kokate -- said they will remain loyal to Ajit Pawar. Speaking to a local news channel, Mr Bansode said: “I had extended full support to Ajit Pawar even in November 2019 when he tried to form a government with the BJP. I am still loyal to him and will stand by him in whatever decision he may take in the future.”

On the other hand, the BJP is calling it the NCP’s ploy to create misunderstanding between Maharashtra’s ruling parties. Though deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has so far kept quiet on the issue, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule has ruled it out.

Rejecting the speculation about the NCP leader joining the BJP, Mr Bawankule said he was not aware of it. “All are welcome to join us, provided they adopt our ideology,” he said.

Another BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, said that the rumours of Ajit Pawar joining the BJP are being spread deliberately to unsettle the MLAs backing Eknath Shinde. “It is very clear that the news reports are being planted by the NCP only. They want to create a perception that the Supreme Court verdict on the disputes between Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde may go against the Maharashtra CM and therefore the BJP has kept Pawar as the second option. This is being done to make the Shinde camp nervous. But we are confident that Shinde will remain the chief minister till the current Assembly completes its full term,” he said.

Commenting on the expectations from the SC decision, the BJP leader said that his party has decided not to make any speculative comments on it. He added: “But we have carefully followed all the laid down laws and various SC judgments while forming the government with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.”