NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar is courting disgruntled BJP and NCP (Ajit Pawar) MLAs from Pune and Satara districts hoping to win them over to his side ahead of the assembly election.
The overtures are part of Pawar’s plan to win maximum number of seats in the state election and inflict pain on the ruling Mahayuti.
A few days ago Samarjit Ghatge, the BJP legislator from Kagal constituency, in Kolhapur, joined the NCP (SP).
On Sunday Atul Benke, the NCP (Ajit Pawar) MLA from Junnar, met Pawar in Pune.
NCP (SP) state president, Jayant Patil, met Madan Bhosale, BJP MLA from Wai, Satara, at the latter’s home. These meetings have raised eyebrows in political circles.
The meeting between Patil and Bhosale lasted an hour. Patil later told journalists, “There is an old friendship between me and Bhosale. I used to meet Bhosale in the past too. We hadn’t met for a long time. That’s why I came to meet him.”
According to sources, Patil invited Bhosale to join his party. Asked about it, the NCP (SP) denied giving any offer to Bhosale.
Benke’s meeting with Pawar was his second in recent days. The MLA erected banners in Junnar constituency to welcome the NCP (SP leader).
Last month Benke had said that Sharad and Ajit Pawar should come together before the assembly election.
The sources said Pawar is also in contact with BJP leader Harshvardhan Patil, who is keen to contest from Indapur constituency in Pune. Patil, who earlier had a long association with the Congress, is apparently disappointed with the BJP, the sources said.
In the Lok Sabha election, the NCP (SP) contested 10 seats and won eight. In the run-up to the polls, Pawar brought Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil, and Vijay Singh Mohite Patil to his side, with the result that the MVA won Madha and Solapur constituencies.
Pawar also brought Nilesh Lanke from Ajit Pawar group and made him MP from Ahmadnagar.
