Day after meeting Ajit in Pune, NCP not joining hands with BJP, clarifies Sharad Pawar

He was speaking at Sangola in Solapur district after attending a function organised by the family of late Ganpatrao Deshmukh, an 11-time MLA who represented Sangola from Peasants and Workers Party (PWP).

On Saturday afternoon, Pawar met Ajit at the residence of famous builder Atul Chordiya along with NCP state president Jayant Patil, who is with Sharad Pawar group. (Express archive)

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A DAY after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar held a secret meeting in Pune, the former said his party will not join hands with Ajit’s ally BJP.

“NCP’s political stand does not include joining hands with BJP. None of us are with the BJP. Some of our colleagues have taken a different position and therefore a few friends of ours are trying to reconcile and check if that changed position can be reversed. For that they are trying to communicate between us. But I want to clearly state in my capacity as the national president of the NCP that there is no question of NCP allying with the BJP,” said Pawar.

He was speaking at Sangola in Solapur district after attending a function organised by the family of late Ganpatrao Deshmukh, an 11-time MLA who represented Sangola from Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). Deputy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was also on the stage along with Pawar.

On Saturday afternoon, Pawar met Ajit–his rebel nephew–at the residence of famous builder Atul Chordiya along with NCP state president Jayant Patil, who is with Sharad Pawar group. The meeting gained significance in the wake of Ajit’s rebellion against his uncle in July and joining hands with the BJP to be the part of the state government along with eight other senior NCP leaders. Sources have been claiming that Ajit group has been trying to bring Pawar on its side to which the NCP president has replied in negative.

When asked about the ‘secret’ meeting, Pawar on Sunday said the meeting was not secret. “Ajit is my nephew. I am the eldest person in Pawar family. Meeting a younger person in the family or calling him to meet is nothing wrong,” he said. When asked about his reply to the Election Commission that there is no split in the NCP, Pawar said he still stands with what has been told to the EC. “There is no split in the NCP,” he said.

The NCP president clarified that the parties in power are misusing the agencies such as Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation. “The Opposition is being threatened by sending notices. But we will answer them strongly and unitedly,” he said, adding that voters do not like breaking parties and they will show it through the ballots.