The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday clarified that his party will not ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a day after his meeting with nephew Ajit Pawar sparked speculations.
"As national president of NCP, I am making it clear that my party (NCP) will not go with BJP. Any association with Bharatiya Janata Party does not fit in NCP's political policy," Sharad Pawar said.
Meeting with Ajit Pawar not secret: Sharad Pawar
The statement from the veteran leader comes amid buzz over his 'secret meeting' on Saturday with his nephew Ajit Pawar. Notably, Ajit Pawar was at the forefront of a factional split in the party, leading to his alignment with the BJP-Shiv Sena government.
This hour-long meeting, held at the residence of businessman Atul Chordia in Pune's Koregaon Park, has ignited a range of conjectures within the state's political landscape. The convoy of Sharad Pawar departed from Chordia's residence an hour before Ajit Pawar's convoy.
Talking about the meeting, Sharad Pawar said, "My meeting with Ajit Pawar was not secret. He is my nephew and I am senior-most member of family."
Ajit Pawar's rebellion
In a surprising turn of events in July, Ajit Pawar orchestrated a vertical split within the NCP, assuming the role of deputy chief minister. This abrupt move caught his uncle Sharad Pawar off guard, who had established the party 24 years prior. Furthermore, eight NCP leaders were inaugurated as ministers during the ceremony conducted at the Raj Bhavan in South Mumbai.
The exact number of legislators supporting the factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar remains undetermined among the 54 MLAs.
This crisis within the NCP has also posed a setback for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance composed of the NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. This setback emerges just a year after Eknath Shinde separated from the Shiv Sena along with 40 MLAs, eventually taking the oath as Chief Minister with the backing of the BJP.
