Mumbai: Sharad Pawar's grand nephew Rohit Pawar on Wednesday claimed that 19 MLAs from the Ajit Pawar faction are in contact with the senior Pawar. He said it will be Sharad Pawar’s decision whether to bring them back in the party or not. However, the Ajit Pawar faction rubbished the claim. Its senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal said though the party did not get expected results in Lok Sabha, everyone will work harder for the state assembly elections.
Rohit Pawar's remark came a day after the result of Lok Sabha election, in which his party won eight seats in Maharashtra. An insider in NCP (SP) said that Rohit's claim has substance. By the end of June, many MLAs of Ajit Pawar led NCP would shift their loyalty towards Sharad Pawar.
Earlier in the day, Rohit, who is an MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed constituency, said that 18 to 19 MLAs from the AJit Pawar led party are in touch with the party chief or him. “Another 12 MLAs from the Ajit Pawar faction are in contact with the BJP. It will be revealed soon what these 12 MLAs are going to do. Those who joined the government (for their personal interest), are now coming back to us in view of their future prospects. They should be given second preference," he said.
The NCP leader said that there are many MLAs who did not speak against the NCP founder. "Due to pressure, these MLAs have joined the government. There is no problem taking them back in our fold. But those, who have hit below the belt, should not be allowed to join the party," he said.
Mr. Bhujbal, who is also cabinet minister, said that the Mahayuti will have to accept the debacle of Lok Sabha election and prepare for the upcoming Assembly election with more hard work. “Nobody is going anywhere. It is true that we did not get expected success in Lok Sabha. All of us will work in our constituencies to win the assembly elections,” Bhujbal said.
Amid this, Ajit Pawar-led NCP has called a meeting of all its MLAs in view of preparation of upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election, which is expected to be held in October 2024.
