Everyone is free to take decision: Supriya Sule on exodus

Mumbai: Amid speculation over whether or not senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former deputy chief Chhagan Bhujbal will join the Shiv Sena, his colleague Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Tuesday said that everyone has the right to take their own decision.

Ms Sule, who in Nashik, said that it was sad to see the party leaders quit in its time of difficulty. “Ours is a democratic country. Therefore, everyone has the right to take his or her own decision,” she said, adding that the NCP did not believe in pressure tactics.

Ms Sule’s statement assumes significance as a few days ago, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray told reporters that the answer to this would come at an appropriate time when asked whether Mr Bhujbal and NCP leader Sunil Tatkare would join his party.

Mr Bhujbal, however, once again dismissed the reports and said that he was going nowhere.

At present, the Opposition parties — the Congress and NCP — are witnessing an exodus of their leaders.

In the last couple of months, senior NCP leader Jaydutt Kshirsagar from Marathwada, former minister Madhukar Pichad, Akole  legislator Vaibhav Pichad, Satara legislator Shivendraraje Bhosale and Airoli MLA Sandeep Naik have quit the party to join the saffron alliance. Moreover, Mr Kshirsagar also became a minister.