Maharashtra politics: ‘If the NCP can go with the Shiv Sena, why not with BJP?’

Chhagan Bhujbal, Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel inaugurate the new NCP office outside Mantaralaya on Tuesday. Pic/Sameer Markande

Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel has claimed 51 out of the 53 party MLAs had told NCP chief Sharad Pawar, that a possibility of joining hands with the BJP should be explored after the MVA government in Maharashtra collapsed last year.

If the NCP can form a government with the Shiv Sena, why not with the BJP, Patel, who has switched over to Ajit Pawar's side, said in an interview to Marathi news channel Zee 24 Taas. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising the Shiv Sena (then undivided), NCP and Congress, collapsed in June last year after a revolt led by Shinde.

Later, Shinde became the chief minister with BJP's support. Patel said last year, internal discussions took place over joining the BJP alliance. There was a discussion among the MLAs, he said. "There were discussions on this issue, but no decision was arrived at. Now a shape has been given. The decision has been taken as a party, not by me or Ajit Pawar individually," the Rajya Sabha member said.

He also claimed Jayant Patil was among the 51 MLAs, who wanted Sharad Pawar to explore the possibility of joining the government. Only Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik were not present, he added. "The NCP ministers wrote a letter to Sharad Pawar saying the party shouldn't stay out of power. There is no harm in exploring the possibility of joining the government," he said. Asked why the step to join the government was not taken, Patel said, "No decision was arrived at and the other side may have felt we were not required."

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