Pawar Sr on NCP-Ajit Pawar MLAs returning to NCP (SP): 'Some turncoats have met Jayant Patil'

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday made a huge claim on the possibility of rebel MLAs from nephew and deputy CM Ajit Pawar's camp returning to NCP (SP). Pawar Sr said that some MLAs from the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar met his party's senior leader Jayant Patil.

"I have not met anyone who left our party and now wants to join back, but I learnt that some of them met Jayant Patil," the NCP (SP) president was quoted as saying by newswire PTI. Patil heads the party's Maharashtra unit. 

This, however, isn't the first time that Pawar has hinted at welcoming MLAs who went away with Ajit Pawar. In June this year, Sharad Pawar said in an interview with ABP Majha that all MLAs who went with Ajit aren't barred from entering back into the NCP (SP) fold.

He further said that his party will give a chance to new faces in the state elections and that new people will be given maximum opportunities. Later, Pawar's grandnephew and NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar said that 18-19 MLAs of the ruling NCP will cross over to their faction after the monsoon session of the assembly. 

"They have to attend the legislature session and get development funds for their constituencies. So they will wait till the session ends (before making the switch over)," Rohit Pawar said. He also said that several of them never spoke in foul terms against Sharad Pawar after Ajit Pawar orchestrated a split in July last year. 

Furthermore, Sharad Pawar said people thwarted PM Narendra Modi's attempt to take the country in the wrong direction during the Lok Sabha polls and the same will happen in the state elections.

Taking aim at the Prime Minister, Pawar said at a farmers' rally in Sangli, "Modi was making baseless statements. During the campaign, he was confident of winning 400 seats. He kept criticising Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and targeted Rahul Gandhi who is meeting common people to understand their issues. However, the Lok Sabha poll results brought these leaders in Delhi back on the ground."