'Ajit Pawar Still Part Of NCP,' Supriya Sule Says Ahead Of INDIA Bloc Meeting

Senior NCP leader Supriya Sule on Thursday claimed that there was no split within the party and that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar still was a member of NCP. Sule's comments came ahead of the third meeting of the INDIA bloc scheduled in Mumbai later this month.

“There is no split in NCP. Ours is one single party though one group is in power and the other is in opposition. Ajit Pawar is senior leader of our party. We are waiting for his reply,” Sule said at a press conference in Pune.

In an interview published earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha MP and daughter of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar had also claimed that the BJP had tried to break NCP and failed thrice earlier. “This time they were successful,” she had added.

While replying to persisting questions on Ajit Pawar, the NCP MP said, “Ajit Pawar is senior leader of our party. He has taken some different stand and we have complained to the assembly speaker about it. We are waiting for his reply. We are in now way with any kind of alliance with the BJP. Only things is that a few of our members have taken a different decision and we have written to the Speaker of the house stating our stand on the development.”

She also said that she won’t be able to say whether Ajit Pawar shall return to the fold adding that the family shall stay united.

“Ajitdada, as a citizen, has taken a different decision. I won’t be able to say whether he will be back. But, we shall strive to keep the family united and won’t let the politics spoil the family,” Sule said.

Meanwhile, leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, while commenting on the development said that the BJP won’t benefit out of the split in the NCP.

“Sharad Pawar and DCM Ajit Pawar would keep meeting as they might be partners in several firms and businesses. The BJP shall repent their decision in long run,” Wadettiwar said.

While explainging his statement, the senior Congress leader said that it will be difficult for the BJP to explain why they joined hands with those against whom they had levelled serious charges.