By India Today News Desk: NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday dismissed as “baseless” the rumours of him joining hands with the BJP and said he will remain a part of the Sharad Pawar-led party.
He said there was not an “iota of truth” about him breaking ranks with the NCP and joining hands with the BJP.
“I am with NCP. I will remain with NCP. Whatever NCP decides, I will be there,” Ajit Pawar told reporters outside Maharashtra Assembly.
“There is an attempt to create confusion about me and my people. There is not a iota of truth in whatever is being spread,” he said.
Ajit Pawar also clarified that he did not take any signature of any MLAs regarding the rumours of joining hands with the BJP.
“No signatures of MLAs were taken. We are all loyalists of the NCP. No such talks or decision occurred (on BJP alliance). Now, all rumours should be put to rest,” he said.
SHARAD PAWAR REFUTES AJIT PAWAR’S BJP ALLIANCE RUMOURS
Earlier in the day, Sharad Pawar rubbished rumours that Ajit Pawar would break ranks with the party and join hands with the BJP. He said that Ajit Pawar is busy with election-related work.
“Some people are just making news. Other than that, these things have no meaning. I can say about NCP that all the leaders in this party are working with one idea and that is how to strengthen it,” Sharad Pawar told reporters.
SHIV SENA (UBT) TOO TRASHES SPECULATION
Echoing Sharad Pawar’s sentiment, Sanjay Raut, the leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena, also dismissed rumours of Ajit Pawar aligning with the ruling BJP alliance in the state. He said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP — are together and the alliance will not break even if some MLAs jump ship to the BJP.
Ajit Pawar’s sudden move to cancel a Pune event coinciding with two top BJP leaders from Maharashtra rushing to Delhi fuelled such speculations.
Notably, amid a deadlock over government formation in Maharashtra after the Assembly elections in 2019, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn in as the chief minister and deputy chief minister in a hush-hush early morning ceremony on November 23. However, their government lasted only 80 hours.
