MUMBAI: After NCP leader Praful Patel’s statement, the political corridor in Maharashtra is buzzing with the possibility that both former union minister Sharad Pawar and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar are coming together.
Senior NCP leader Praful Patel said they have huge respect for former union minister Sharad Pawar and it will continue. He said they chose different political paths due to political differences, but the respect towards senior Pawar has not reduced at all.
“If in future, both the Pawars come together, then there is nothing wrong in it. I also consider myself a part of the Pawar family. I personally feel and have a desire that the Pawar family should come together and be united. We met senior Pawar on the occasion of his birthday in Delhi. That meeting generated a lot of speculation. We want to maintain our relationship,” Patel said. He added Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar if coming together, then it is a good thing for them and the party as well.
Patel was a very close associate of Sharad Pawar when both the NCP’s factions were united. After the split in the party and family, the relationship was strained. However, both the Ajit Pawar-led NCP SP faction is trying to bridge the gap.
Sources said that there some people who are close to both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar are working on the task of bringing both Pawars together.
“Ajit Pawar has proved his mettle in state polls, so senior Pawar has to take the back seat and extend the blessing to his political heir Ajit Pawar while Supria Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar will be inducted as minister in the centre and she will be active in centre politics. These neutral and non-political forces are working and expecting some positive result,” said highly placed sources who requested anonymity.
Shiv Sena leader (UBT) Sanjay Raut alleged that BJP has put the condition before Praful Patel and Ajit Pawar that if they want ministry in centre government, then they should either bring eight Lok Sabha MPs having NCP SP party or poach their MPs.
“If they fail to do so, then Mr Patel will not be given the ministry. Therefore, Mr Patel's statement should be read in that context. Patel is working to poach Sharad Pawar-led NCP SP’s eight Lok Sabha MPs to become the minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. However, nothing of that sort will happen,” Raut claimed.