NCP trying to get satraps to fight LS poll

Mumbai: NCP is again trying to convince its  satraps across various districts to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Looking at a possible hung house in Delhi this time, the NCP is trying to reach a double-digit figure so as to play a major role in the formation of the next government. Towards this, the party needs to increase its tally and hence, senior leaders are being convinced by the party leadership to contest the LS elections.

“If you want him (Rajesh Tope), we will make him a Member of Parliament of Jalna,” said NCP leader Ajit Pawar in a rally in Jalna on Tuesday. This led to buzz that the NCP was fielding its big gun in the coming LS election. Mr Tope was minister in the Congress-NCP government for ten years and considered a strong leader in the Jalna district. His name was already doing the rounds as a  candidate in Jalna and Ajit Pawar’s statement made this official.

Other names like Manohar Naik, Dilip Walse-Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and Jaydatta Kshirsagar, too, have been doing the rounds within the NCP. All of them have been former ministers in Maharashtra and had been in the cabinet for almost 15 years.

“This time, Sharad Pawar is looking for a top political job in Delhi as there would be a hung Lok Sabha. In that case, NCP needs respectable numbers to claim the top post. The party has never seen double digits since its inception. So, this time, the NCP chief will try to get more than 12 seats so that he can make greater moves,” said Anant Dikshit, senior political leader.

Interestingly, none of the leaders whose names have been doing the rounds are interested in contesting the LS election.